Touching
by Rielyn
Summary: Life as usual for Rogue. Angst, angst, and more angst. And between Remy and Pietro, she finds herself losing her mind.
1. What She Would Give

Touching

Disclaimer: The X-Men Evolution characters aren't mine. Duh, I'm not that creative. 

~~~~~~~ 

She hadn't gone too far past the entrance into the school when she heard them, whispering amongst themselves with pointed looks in her direction. Pursing her lips and pushing a lock of white hair out of her eyes sourly, Rogue did her best imitation of a deaf person, combined with a cold shimmer in her expressive green eyes, daring anyone to get in her way. They weren't worth it. Definitely not worth letting them have the satisfaction of seeing an effect on her. And what effect anyway? Who cares about those losers anyhow? Who cares? Who needs them? 

She just didn't understand it. What had she done to deserve this? Just what was her crime against the heavens that made the Gods punish her like this; making her an outcast, a freak, and furthermore unable to relish the precious gift of touch. Why was she tortured every day, ridiculed every single moment, every where she went, taunted by everyone else who took the pleasure of caresses and casual brushes for granted. She could only find relief in solitude, where she could be free of being so cautious, where she could pretend to have control, over her powers, over everything. Where she could be normal. 

Ironic then, how solitude also made her suffer terribly. There, her loneliness was more pronounced, increased from its usual dull pain within her, becoming a sharp pain in her chest, longing washing over her. She was always alone, even around the others, her 'family.' And it was even worse now that she had discovered her best friend, Risty, to be... It made her want to scream whenever she thought about her. Risty had made her feel almost normal sometimes. Normal. 

What she wouldn't give for just... 

A titter nearby interrupted her thoughts and she glanced up reflexively to the sound of her name, regretting it as soon as she saw the sneer. Taryn. Rogue scowled fiercely and ignored any words, striding past them to her locker, misplaced to be near Taryn's and her cronies'. They shied away from her. 

"You're not wanted here, mutie. You're contaminating our air supply." 

"What diff'rence does it make, yah'll are as screwed up as can be anyhow. So fuck off," she replied, a low growl emanating from her chest as she slammed her locker closed, spinning on her heel and storming off to her class. 

*Ah hate school.* Rogue clenched her fists. *Ah hate mah lahfe, o' whatevah they call it. This is no way a lahfe. This is no way o' livin'* 

~~~~~~~ 

Well, there you go, my first chapter. You'll have to forgive the accents, I have no idea how to really do them. 

:) Review would be great, thanks! 

Rielyn 


	2. Infiltration

Touching

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters of X-Men Evolution. 

~~~~~~~ 

Back. Forth. Over. Under. The card weaved between his nimble fingers, seeming as if it had a life of its own. Indeed it fluttered, enjoying its light, yet brief existence when Remy charged it and watched it become ashes into his palm. With a soft grunt, he lifted his body with feral grace from his seat, crossing the room in a few strides to his mirror. He smirked at his reflection, his red on black eyes boring holes into his own image, perfect in its rugged appearance. Running a hand through his unruly hair, he winked dangerously at himself before throwing his trenchcoat on and departing his room, ready for his first day at Bayville High School. 

It was not by the Acolyte's choice, Magneto had insisted. Not that he really minded. He was getting bored with only Pyro, Colossus, and Sabretooth for company, and besides, men cannot compare to the company of women. He only suffered mild irritation due to the fact that he had to be at a grade level lower than that of others his age. Still, that wasn't bad, considering he was a thief, and had not been in a classroom environment for as long as he can remember. For the guild, homeschooling from his father sufficed, and now, for the Acolytes? Well, the answer to that could be observed by watching Pyro and his insane antics. No, it was not his education that Magneto wanted. It was common knowledge that most of Xavier's X-Men were enrolled there, and as they have proved to be one of their worthier opponents, having someone keep an eye out at school, a place where they spent a large majority of their time, could prove most beneficial. And of the Acolytes, Gambit was the obvious choice, what with his age and talents. The cajun had a way about him. A charm, a manner. He had ways of persuasion to get what he wanted. He would fit well and most easily at Bayville High. 

Tapping his image inducer to disguise his demon eyes, Remy donned a pair of shades and sped off on his motorcycle, his trenchcoat flapping in the wind behind him. Oh, he was bad. The thought bringing a smile to his lips. Time to make it known to the teenage community, especially the women. 

~~~~~~~ 

I know, it was really short. But I'm just introducing him into my story. 

Review! 

:) Rielyn 


	3. Getting Reacquainted

Touching

Disclaimer: I don't own X-Men Evolution 

~~~~~~~ 

When a hush fell over the classroom, Rogue felt compelled to look up from her seat at the back of the class, nearest to the window. Everyone was turned towards the door but she could not see past the clusters of students milling about the room before the bell rang. Despite her curiosity, she shrugged her shoulders and brushed the question aside, turning back to her book. It was probably just some loser trying some crazy stunt to impress people, anyway. It was only when a low, husky voice intruded on her isolation that she raised her chin again, to see a face very familiar to her. A face she loathed. 

"You!" she exclaimed, rising from her seat and tensing up as if preparing for a fight. "Yah're th' one who gave me that charged card! What are ya doin' heah?" 

"On'y lookin' fer a seat, cherie." His grin widened, his disguised eyes not concealing the appraising look he gave her. He recognized her too, but from across the room, and it was his intention to approach her. Looking over her form, his own relaxed yet arrogant in his stance, he ran his tongue over the top of his teeth, visible through his slightly parted lips. The action did not go unnoticed and Rogue shifted uncomfortably, her face becoming pink as she began to feel almost giddy from his attention. She swallowed visibly, her green eyes darkening as she shook her head fiercely. 

"An' since when did ya go ta Bayville?" she asked, accusingly. 

"Since now, chere. Can Remy take dis seat now?" 

"Whay don' ya sit somewheah else? Lookit, ovah theah. Ah'm sure they'd love ta have ya." She looked pointedly across the room. "Looks lahke ya already got yer own fanclub." Sure enough, his devil-may-care gait into the classroom still held the attentions of the barbies of the school. He flashed them a grin and a wink, eliciting excited giggles from the cluster. "Ya see? So go already!" 

Remy turned back to her, an almost coy smirk crossing his features. He was about to reply when a gust of wind announced Pietro's entrance. He stood, crossing his arms and tapping his foot at an insane speed. 

"Back off, Gambit. This is my seat." Remy arched an eyebrow, keeping his ground but eyeing the speed demon. 

"So dis be t' reason why y' refuse Remy, chere?" 

"What, Pietro? N-" 

"And what if I am, huh? Step off already before I show you what I can do." Rogue scowled, huffing and sitting herself back into her seat roughly, crossing her arms in front of her. It was too early for this. Remy glanced over at her, his ever-present smirk still gracing his lips. 

"As y' wish." With that, he spun around, moving in the general direction of his fan club, his arms outspread as if to say, 'hey, they didn't want me, can you believe it?' The girls giggled and promptly cleared the way, surrounding him. Rogue could overhear them asking him why he approached a girl like her anyway and she sighed, raising her hands to her face. 

"Hey Roguey, are you okay?" It was Pietro, who was now settled in the seat beside her. 

"Ah'm fahne. Leave meh alone, Pietro." 

"What? After I saved you, like that? Man, you X-Geeks sure are ungrateful." 

"Ah didn't need yah help, anyhow." Pietro smirked. 

"That's not what it looked like to me, Roguey." 

Rogue slammed her fist down on her desk and turned to face him, her emerald eyes glaring. "Yeah? Well, what do ya care?" 

Pietro smiled calmly, although his azure eyes flashed. "Well, some of us remember where our loyalties should really be. The brotherhood took you in when you were outcast, if you've forgotten." 

"Ya'll are on the wrong sahde. What does that have ta do with ya helpin' me out anyways?" 

"So you admit that I saved you!" Rogue sighed, lowering her gaze back to her book. Pietro chuckled a bit before becoming serious. "All that aside, Rogue, before we became enemies, we were friends. Remember?" 

"Were is the key word." 

"Well, if Lance can bridge the gap with Kitty, I most definitely can still be friends with you." Rogue lifted her chin, looking surprised and pensive at the same time towards him. He flashed her a winning smile and she had to respond with one of her own. 

"Sometimes ya surprise even meh, Pietro." 

He winked. "Yeah, I mean, Lance ain't half the man I am either." 

Rogue shook her head, but laughed. "An' sometimes ya don'." 

Remy watched this exchange casually from across the room, pretending to listen to the girls' idle chatter. He could not hear them but he took the smile that Pietro received as a sign that 'persuading' Rogue could be a challenge. And Remy liked a challenge very much. 

~~~~~~~ 

Mm. I'm a Romy fan, but I must admit that I've got a soft spot for Speedy. Though, he's not getting an introduction chapter like Rogue and Remy did. Makes it clear who are the main main characters here. 

Again, review would be nice. And I don't mind criticism, unless it's a blatant, 'You suck!' :) 

Rielyn 


	4. Seduction

Touching

Disclaimer: X-Men Evolution Characters are not mine. 

~~~~~~~ 

"You know, Rogue, you really ought to, like, sit with us sometime." It was lunchtime and Kitty was giving Rogue her daily lecture on being sociable. Not that it had any effect whatsoever. Still, Rogue had to hand it to her, almost nothing could get the girl down, much less give up. "I mean, I understand that you don't want to, like, hurt anybody, we all totally understand." Rogue almost scowled, but caught herself. No, they didn't understand. They would never really understand. But Kitty was just trying to help, and Rogue was not about to try to alienate one of her closest friends, now that Risty was.. 

"But ve still vant you around. I vant you around. Ja, you should eat vis us, mein schweister." Kurt looked at her with a hopeful smile that Rogue had to return. The boy was always so child-like, so innocent, although at the same time mischievous, she had to love him. But she shook her head. 

"Nah. If nuthin' else, Ah lahke mah alone tahme. Yah have to admit, we don' get much o' that at th' mansion." 

"Well, if you say so. But, like, you know where we are, if you ever, like, totally change your mind." 

They separated there benignly, and Rogue paused to watch Kurt and Kitty head over towards the others. Scott, Evan, Jean. A part of her yearned to join them. They would welcome her, yes. But with a disguised fear in their eyes, a twitching flinch when she came near. They became more distant, the closer she came. She felt a pang of sadness and longing tremble in her chest and she turned away to head towards her usual shaded spot by a tree. No tears. It would be a cold day in hell before she succumbed to self-pity and cried. She had nothing to cry about, besides. She had a family, and she was grateful enough for that. 

Settling down on the grass, she had produced her lunch and her book from her backpack when a presence came up behind her. In a moment's notice, he had slipped into a crouch, his knees brushing subtly over her hips, and leaned in close until his chest pressed gently on her back. She could feel his breath, hot against her ear, and she froze like a deer in headlights, stiffening and tense. She took in a sharp breath when he lifted a gloved hand to run a finger sensually down her cheek, curving a path past her jaw, slowly down her neck, and tickling her slightly along her collar bone. She trembled slightly, it all happened so fast, yet so slowly, the intimate caresses evoking emotions in her before she had a chance to shield them. She almost whimpered. 

"Shh, cherie. Remy ain' gon' t' hurt y' none." 

Rogue spun around, the moment gone, drawing away from him and bringing her arm across her chest, protecting herself as if she had been violated. "You again? What do ya- Who d' ya think you are!?" 

"Remy Etienne LeBeau, at y' service." He bowed his head slightly, smirking, with a sweep of his hand, catching her wrist in the process. "Enchanté, mademoiselle." After pressing his lips to her gloved knuckles, he kept her hand close to his face. "An' y' are Rogue, n'est-ce pas?" 

Rogue leaned back farther away from him although she did not withdraw her hand, finding herself unable to exert her will on her own appendage. "Ah- Ah.." she stuttered, although no words were formed. Remy only smiled, pressing her with more of his empathy, tugging at her heart. A faint blushed rouged her otherwise pale face, almost surprising him with how pretty it made her. Oh yes, he had to have her. 

Remy pulled her close, leaning in until he had to slip his arm around her waist to support her, forming a sort of dip. Rogue for her part was stunned yet again. Never before had she met anybody so forward, especially with her. Her breath hitched. She could smell him; a mixture of smells, cologne, cigars, spices. She felt dizzy; he was so close, too close. She could feel the heat from his body poised above her, feel the pressure of his hand holding hers, of the arm around her waist. And then she felt his body, pressed against her. "R-remy.." Sensations surged through her body; she wanted him. Badly. 

But the spell was effectively broken when a certain platinum-haired individual rushed in, loudly demanding, "What the hell is going on here? What do you think you're doing, Gambit?" Remy sighed but did not relinquish his hold on Rogue, lifting his chin to stare irately up at Pietro. 

"Y' are makin' it a habit t' int'rupt Remy, aren' y'?" Rogue, suddenly conscious of the compromising position she remained in, jerked herself almost violently out of the cajun's arms. Just what had come over her? She was still dizzy as she stumbled, seeking solace by her silver-topped friend. Pietro tilted slightly towards her, although he continued to give Gambit the evil eye, and rested an arm lightly around her shoulders. 

"You okay, Roguey?" Rogue swallowed, nodding and murmuring an affirmative, but did not raise her eyes, fiddling with the sleeves of her shirt. Pietro looked down at her, raising a hand to brush her hair from her face almost tenderly. "Are you sure? Because if he hurt you or anything, I promise you I'll give this sleaze what for." His voice was soft and low, as if he was imparting to her a secret. Rogue's jaw hardened as she pulled away suddenly, giving the two of them a meaningful look as if to say, 'I can't believe you, go away. Leave me alone. I don't want to see you.' 

Towards Pietro, she added, "Ah can take care o' mahself." With that, she snatched her belongings from where they were discarded and rushed off. The two men stared after her, emotions flickering through their eyes, one amused, the other slightly pained. 

After she was a certain distance, Pietro spun around to glare at Remy, about to let out a rant, but found that the cajun was already gone. 

~~~~~~~ 

My chapters seem to be getting longer each time. Thanks for all the reviews so far, it's really nice to know that people have been reading. 

I've discovered that Remy is a bit on the evil/asshole-ish side, at least so far. But don't worry. It'll get resolved, this IS a Rogue/Remy pairing. I just don't like it when Remy all of a sudden becomes good. I think at this point, as he is still a part of the acolytes, he's bad. It's going to take a bit more before he becomes more genuine, more sincere, more good. He's really forward, but that's how I take how he would act, how he would seduce. I don't know. 

As for Pietro, I think maybe I'm portraying him softer than he really is. But I can't get around that. He has only popped up so far at opportune times to 'save' Rogue. Maybe I'll get him more to character once the story really gets goin. Plus, I'm more familiar with Remy/Rogue than I am with Pietro. He's really got a soft spot in me, now. He's so cuuuuute! Too bad I just LOVE the Remy/Rogue pairing. Residual from the old cartoon and the comic, I guess. 

About Remy's eyes, they're brown right now. Keep in mind that he's got an image inducer to disguise them. 

:) Keep the reviews comin', make my writing better! 

Rielyn 


	5. Unexpected Intrusion

Touching

Disclaimer: The characters of X-Men Evolution are not mine. I'm just borrowing. :) 

~~~~~~~ 

Rogue could not forget his touch, his warmth, or the caress of his breath. No matter what she did, he seemed to follow her. He had been so forward! She felt giddy yet disgusted at the same time. A part of her longed for that moment when he came up behind her, but she brushed the feeling aside in favor of a desire to take a long, cleansing bath. She felt almost dirty. He had some nerve, indeed, to hold her like that. In fact, the next time he tried anything like that, she was going to show him why nobody messes with the Rogue. She was not some girl he could seduce in a moment's notice, only to drop cold later. No way. 

Still, she remained so preoccupied that she took more hits than usual during that afternoon's training session. Sore and drenched with sweat, she headed straight for the bathroom, to take her much needed and much desired bath, taking no heed of Scott's frustration with her performance and ignoring him as she left the danger room. She did not give a damn, today. Damn boy scout. 

After a long, relaxing soak, she emerged towel-clad feeling refreshed although her mind had hardly settled from its inner turmoil. Though then again, it was always in a state of disorder. She shrugged, opting to hum a tuneless song as she entered the room she shared with Kitty, locking the door behind her as she did so. About to head over to her dresser and shed the towel, she nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard a praising whistle. 

"You know, Roguey, you look even more beautiful without the make-up." Rogue clutched the towel tightly against her chest as she gaped at Pietro's gall. He was sitting nonchalantly on top of her bed, legs crossed and sporting his usual high-and-mighty smirk. "I'd say you come close to pulling off the natural look as well as I do." 

"Uh, excuse meh, Pietro?" Rogue scowled at him. "If ya haven't noticed, Ah just came out o' a bath, an' Ah need to change." Pietro's grin widened. 

"Well, be my guest." Rogue waited for a moment before she realized that he was not leaving. She gave him a silent glare and Pietro smiled innocently back. "What?" She sighed, huffing in frustration. 

"What're ya doin' here anyway, Pietro? Last Ah knew, ya still call the brotherhood y' home, not the 'X-Geek' mansion." 

"Easy, Roguey. I wanted to ease your suffering from being away from me for too long." 

"In y' dreams." 

"Oh, well, yes, I 'ease your suffering' there too, if you know what I mean." 

"Pietro!" 

"What?" 

Rogue shook her head, lifting her free hand to clutch at her forehead. "What do ya want, really? An' how'd ya get past the security?" Pietro smirked, eyeing her as if to express disbelief in her not being able to figure it out herself. Or was it more as if to will her towel to fall? "Quit lookin' at meh lahke that, pervert." Pietro chuckled, his blue eyes mirthful. 

"Well, to answer your questions, I'm fast, remember? Your security couldn't pick me out in a million years." He zipped to the other side of the bed, sprawling out into a playboy pose, his expression mischievous. "And for your first question... I know you want me, and I can't stand to see women suffer." 

Rogue sighed, almost growling. "Oh, Ah give up. Go away, Pietro. Ah need to change." Pietro's grin faltered slightly as he hesitated, looking as if there was more that he wanted to say. A serious truth he wanted to tell her, void of jokes and teases. Rogue did not notice this, however, and only stared at him impatiently, beginning to tap her bare foot against the floor. Forming resolve, Pietro sat up, opening his mouth as his eyes meet her green ones; but there the words were taken from his tongue, he was left breathless, his voice arrested by a gaze into her eyes. He could get lost in them. He wanted to. And he wanted to tell her so. "Pietro, I told ya ta quit gawkin' already. What's y're problem, git goin'!" But he could not tell her. Not now. 

But he had to, before Gambit messed things up. But just... not now. Flipping up onto his feet, he sported a wry grin once more, the mask going up easily from practice, and darted in until he was within an arms' length of her. "Oh, Roguey Roguey Roguey, playing hard to get!" She raised an arm as if to smack him but he stood his ground, raising a finger and shaking it at her. "Nuh-uh, tsk tsk, you wouldn't do that to your best friend, now would you?" Rogue smirked, swinging her hand at him, which he predictably dodged. 

"An' who said ya were mah best friend?" 

Pietro grinned, blowing kisses at her as he zipped over to the balcony, resting his foot against the railing, posing again. "I did, of course. Now, I'll let that slide, but the next time you try that, you'll regret it!" Rogue quirked an eyebrow, her lips trying to hide a smile as she took a few steps toward him. 

"Is that a threat?" 

"What do ya think?" 

"Ah think a certain Pietro is lookin' fer a beatin'." 

"Is THAT a threat?" 

Rogue grinned, mimicking his voice from earlier. "What do you think?" 

Pietro smirked, blatantly running his eyes up and down her body. "I think you're HOT," he stated, emphasizing the last word in a playful manner. Rogue dropped her jaw, feigning shock and continuing to play along, though her cheeks were tinged with a tell-tale pink. She picked up a pillow and flung it at him. 

"Oh, git already, ya playboy." 

Standing up on the railing, he caught the pillow. "Ooooh, we've got pet names now? I didn't know you loved me that much." Rogue wrinkled her nose. 

"Well, that's because I don't." 

"Oh, well that's just hurtful." Pietro pouted, hugging the pillow childishly to his chest before leaning back, seeming to fall into thin air. Rogue shrieked and rushed over to the balcony, careful to keep the towel tight around her. 

"Piet-" she cut off when she noticed him laughing from the ground. He apparently had caught his momentum with his speed, running down the side of the building instead of falling. 

"I had you there, didn't I, Roguey?" 

"So not funny." 

Pietro laughed again. "Loosen up, will ya?" Looking around, he waved at her with her own pillow. "Well, I should go before the other X-Geeks see me. Thank you for your token of love!" 

"What? Wait, Pietro, that's mah pillow!" she shouted, but he had already sped off. "Lousy, sonofa-" She cut off when she heard a sharp rap at her door. 

"Rogue, ya in there?" It was Logan. "I heard you scream. An' I also heard the name Pietro," he growled. She shook her head, smiling. Even though the door was in the way, she could just imagine the gruff man standing there, tense and ready to pound anything that moved. "He's that Maximoff, kid, right? Quicksilver, the one with Magneto?" Rogue grimaced. Somehow she forgot, or at least put it out of her mind. Maybe she was just being hopeful. 

"Ah'm fine, Logan. Ah was jus'... lettin' out some o' the frustrations Ah been havin' at school." That was not a complete lie. She immediately remembered Remy again, but shook her head fiercely to clear it once more. After a moment, she added, "An' don' come in, Ah'm not changed." There was a silence, although Rogue imagined she could hear him sniffing right outside her door. She hoped Pietro had stayed far enough that his cologne would not reach Logan's alert senses. 

"I don' like it," he grumbled. Rogue tensed, and there was another moment of silence. Eventually, she heard his feet shuffle slightly. "Alright, yeh'd best be gettin' dressed. Dinner's comin' up in th' near future." He strode away, leaving Rogue to herself and her thoughts. She changed, albeit slowly, her eyes looking at the empty spot that her pillow normally filled. 

That's right, Pietro did betray them all, didn't he? And here she was bantering playfully with him, feeling rather comfortable despite her lack of clothing. She enjoyed it, too. Plus, she liked his cologne. But how was she to really overlook what he did? He did not seem that bad, for a brotherhood member. In fact, he was fun company, and he had a tender side, as he had shown her earlier, when he saved her from that Acolyte. Remy. Suddenly the memories of the cajun's touch and smell returned to her, leaving her dizzy. She had wanted him then, when she was resting within his arms. She might have done anything to have him. Terrifying thought, in retrospect. It was a good thing that Pietro... No, she did not need him to save her. And besides, she could not have Remy anyhow. She would never be able to have anybody. There was no use thinking about these things, it was a moot point. Give it up already. She sighed, surprising herself with how forlorn she sounded. Clenching her newly gloved fist, she hardened herself as she left her room to join the others for dinner. 

~~~~~~~ 

Hm. I edited this one sorta. I'm not sure I'm completely happy. I think everything went pretty much as I wanted it to, though I ended up regretting keeping her in a towel all that time. I might change this chapter, too, sometime. Rogue seemed to be too nice, considering that she WAS in just a towel, and Pietro WAS in fact sitting there ogling her, if you will. But I wanted them to talk. And chances are that if she blew up at him, he'd just high-tail it, and come back later. Though, that defeats the point of this chapter. I could have her just not take a shower, but then she'd be all sweaty and stinky and hardly appealing. Naw, couldn't have that. I don't know. 

I've been getting quite a few reviews, and I thank y'all for it :) If you've noticed, it gets me to update pretty quickly. 

I've been getting comments on how this is a Romy fic. Not bad ones, just neutral/positive. Like, 'oh, this is a Romy' or 'ooooh, Romy.' Those I have nothing to say about. There are also comments on how it's a Remy/Rogue/Pietro fic, which it is too. Specifically, Emerald expressed regret with how Pietro like never gets the girl in this triangle. Well, I too have been converted somewhat to liking Rietro too. But I could never write a R/R/P triangle fic with Pietro coming out on top. That just seems wrong to me. I can't do it. I have too much loyalty to Remy, I love the cajun! That said, I could never write a long series Rietro. MAYBE I could do a short one, I've been debating. In any case, I'm ranting as I tend to do. The point that I wanted to state is that I don't intend for Pietro to be fully brushed aside in this fic. I'm thinking that this chapter will give you guys sort of an idea about how she feels about the two of them at the moment, keeping in mind that this is only the beginning, and only preliminary emotions. No, I don't want no love at first sight stuff. No, Pietro didn't just look at Rogue and fall in love. I'll explain that later. We know Remy's intentions (bad bad boy), and Rogue's feelings... see above. 

Heh, it almost seems like Pietro, at this point, is better for her. Romy fans, don't worry, I won't betray you. Hmm, yes, Rogue seems the popular one, but it's a triangle fic, what do you expect? It's not like I have everyone love her. If you notice, she's been dealing with this alone, like there's no one to for her to seek advice, or who she wants to go to seek advice. So maybe she's got love interests, but if you noticed, she brushed that aside, choosing solitude again. She always seemed like an alone type of character anyhow, so that's why she's like that. Pietro seems more like himself in this chapter than in my previous ones. I don't know, what do you think? 

Thanks for reviewing :) Keep it coming, so I can adjust my writing to further please you, provided it goes along with my plot. 

Rielyn 

(Don't I rant ALOT?) 


	6. Unrequited

Touching

Disclaimer: None of the characters from X-Men Evolution are my own. 

~~~~~~~ 

When Rogue got to her first class of the day, Pietro was already in his seat next to hers. She approached, readying herself for an inevitable quip from him, but he did not say anything, apparently preoccupied with glaring at her desk. Furrowing her brow, she came nearer, placing her hands on her hips. 

"Ah'll have ya know, I want that pillow back unscathed by tonight, ya hear?" When she did not get a response, she frowned. "Hey, earth ta Pietro. What's up with you?" 

He raised his chin slightly to her, looking as if he had just noticed her, but then dropped his eyes just as suddenly. He shrugged, huffily turning his head away slightly. "Looks like you got an admirer." He gestured indifferently towards the top of her desk where, sure enough, there rested a rose, complete with a ribbon and small tag. Pietro glared darkly across the room, and Remy met his stare, winking at the speed demon haughtily. "Though it's no secret as to who it is," muttered Pietro venomously. A small tinge of regret stung in his chest; he should have told her yesterday when he had the chance. Gambit was going to mess everything up. 

God, he couldn't stand the Acolyte. Things were almost perfect as they were; yes, Rogue was one of the X-Men and he was the appointed leader of the Brotherhood. The idea of them together was preposterous, but not moreso than the idea of her and Gambit. They were enemies. But he was alright with that, with knowing she was alright, and being taken care of. To tell the truth, he was not sure the Brotherhood could offer the same kind of family that the X-Men did, but he was not about to admit that out loud. The X-Men really watched out for each other. He was not so sure that his own companions would be as caring. But he was happy enough, it was enough for him. He loved Rogue, he loved her enough to not try to complicate her life anymore. He knew that it would just make things worse; for him, if she did not return his feelings, and for her, if she did. One, he was an 'enemy;' he could never join the X-Men, because of his father and because he would never want to side with his rival, Evan. Though the latter was a minor reason and he could easily just suck up his pride for her. Two, even if the relationship was accepted, she could not touch. He could deal with it, he was sure, but it would tear her up with guilt, thinking that there was so much she could not provide him, though that was far from the truth. 

She did not know it, but she was everything to him. She was so strong, so independent. She could do anything. Her power was a torture to her, everyday life was like a hell to her, and finding out that Mystique, the woman who destroyed her home, was the foster mother who raised her was no piece of cake either. Yet she took it. She survived, and was still a lively young woman. She fought for what she believed was right, though her own mother was on the opposing team. He, himself, could not oppose his own father, and he had a power that was a welcome advantage. Yet she remained firm in the face of her issues, and he had yet to see her cry. At the same time, though, he also saw in her a gentleness, a softness that was well-disguised by her harsh gothic look. There was something tender in her eyes whenever she gazed at her fellow X-Men. And he had discovered, one time, that he wanted to receive that look. He wanted to be the cause of every laugh she laughed, every smile she donned. He wanted to make her eyes light up. She was so beautiful and so deserving of happiness. What was once simple admiration became a love so profound that he had never felt before in his life. It pained him to realize that instead of bringing her happiness, it would most likely just hurt her. 

So he kept it an open question for himself. She would never know about it, and neither would he know if it could have ever worked out. But apparently the cajun did not have the same considerations. And so his hand was forced. He knew Gambit from his dealings with his father, Magneto. Gambit was a player, a love 'em and leave 'em type of guy. He could see what Gambit was up to the moment he walked into the classroom and saw him conversing with Rogue. He knew the untouchable challenge would be too much for him to turn down. So, he had to put everything on the line; his heart, his spirit, his life. He could not let Gambit hurt her. 

Rogue stepped over to her desk, gently lifting the rose from its surface, and Pietro could not help but watch her from the corner of his eye, wary about her reaction, fearing for the worst: a smile. But her face was unreadable, her eyes flashed, but from excitement or distaste, he was not sure. He swallowed, wanting to speak but restraining himself; he did not know what would emerge from his lips and he did not want to upset her. 

At that moment, the teacher entered, promptly beginning the class session, and Rogue quickly got into her seat, dropping the rose hastily, and carelessly, onto the floor beside her bag. Pietro was slightly comforted, although the feeling was shattered as he caught her taking glances towards the cajun. He slumped sullenly into his seat. She wanted Gambit, he was sure of it. He was too late. He was not enough. 

~~~~~~~ 

Short-ish chapter, yes. Got more into Pietro's head in this one. Isn't he angsty? Kinda explains why all of a sudden he's getting more involved in Rogue's life. He didn't seem to give much of a damn before. Doesn't explain why he loves her though, I can't figure out a way to get into that. When Gambit really falls in love with her, there'll be obvious ways of bringing his reasons out. But I don't quite see an outlet for Pietro. Hmmm. 

(update: I ranted this before I added the little bit about Rogue being everything to him. Again, not sure if satisfied, but I think it works.) 

I got my first anti-Romy 'lecture.' :) Ok, it wasn't a lecture, and only sort of an argument against Romy. Plus, I got some cool comic background on Rogue pairings and X-Men characters that I was previously ignorant of. 

But okay, so maybe Remy and Rogue aren't exactly too good for each other. What with all the mindgames and hesitations. And the other reasons Teleute spoke of. But I don't know. I love the pairing. Remy is so sexy, and I can't see him with anyone else. I just am determined that they could work things out so that things could work out with them together. Maybe it would take longer, but... See, thing is, love does not ever have to be logical or reasonable, in my opinion. It can cause problems, but love is love. I don't think it should ever be thrown away. 

At the same time, I'm falling more for Rietro. Pietro attracts me. As I said somewhere in one of my prior rants, it's looking like Pietro could be better for her. Pietro is forward-ish, I guess. Though in Rogue's eyes, Pietro's feelings are sort of unclear. Remy is definitely after her, but Pietro? I don't think she'd jump to the conclusion that he loves her based on what has happened so far in my fic. I think right now, she thinks it's all platonic, and he's just being the cocky little flirt that he is, even though he's been strangely sociable with her since the first time he saw her and Remy talking, which was that class. She doesn't really think he's interested in her. Then again, she's not sure. She never is, silly girl. 

This is still a Romy fic, as of now. I can't tell if I'll change my mind along the way. I've been submitting myself to reading a hell of a lot of Rietro, so that could be the cause of my new interest in it. Maybe a good Romy is all I need to get me back as initially planned. Or maybe I've been converted... No, I don't think that's it. I'm still a Romy-fan. :) 

Rielyn 

(btw, remy is most surely gonna be in the next chapter) 


	7. Swamp Rat

Touching

Disclaimer: X-Men Evolution characters aren't mine. 

~~~~~~~ 

Rogue glanced at Remy, the rose anything but forgotten, though she had let it fall unceremoniously to the ground. She could not make sense of him. Why? Surely he had seen her file, surely he knew she could not touch. Well, clearly, as the day before he had been careful to avoid touching her bare skin. So he knew. Why then? Why her? Why not Jean? Everybody loved Jean. Or even Kitty. He was playing with her, that is what it was. He wanted to get her tied around his little finger, wanted to use her to get to the X-Men. Exactly! That is why he was paying so much attention to her. He thought she was that desperate for companionship that it would not occur to her that he would be just using her. The nerve! She narrowed her eyes, glaring down at her desk, her foot sliding over to crush the head of the rose. Twisting her foot back and forth, she rubbed the flower out until each petal was thoroughly torn and ruined. The bastard would not get his way. 

When class ended, Pietro rushed out of the room without looking back, without saying a word to Rogue. She furrowed her brow, confused. Weird. Shrugging, she turned to pack her bag and jumped when a finger ran up her spine, making her body tingle. Spinning around, she got into a fighting stance, looking up to an amused Remy. 

"Aw, chere, why y' gon' an' do dat t' de fleur I gave y'?" He gestured towards the ruined rose, its petals blackened and crushed. Rogue huffed and finished putting her things away, hefting her pack onto her back. 

"Ah didn' want it," she said simply, shoving past him to exit the classroom. He followed. "Sahdes, Ah don' tahke gifts from strangahs. 'Specially men lahke yah." 

"Well, chere, dere be ways of gettin' ta know eachoth'." 

Rogue turned and arched an eyebrow. "An' whay would Ah want ta get t' know ya?" Remy lifted his finger and brushed it against her chin. 

"Well, Remy want t' get t' know y', ma belle fille." They stood there, frozen for a moment. Rogue swallowed, trying to slow the beating of her heart. He was doing it again. These casual touches, albeit through cloth, made her quiver, and his words, stated in such a husky, sensual voice, it kept her off balance. She hardened her jaw, lifting a hand to slap his away from her. 

"Don' touch meh." She resumed walking, her strides faster. He still followed. 

"Cherie, mebbe it'd help if Remy told y' a bit 'bout himself, oui?" She did not answer. "Well, Remy be from de Sout', like y', if I'm not wrong 'bout y' accent. 'Cept he be from N'awlins, down by de bayou." 

Rogue snorted, and he paused. "Swamp rat," she stated simply. Remy grinned. She was at the very least still listening to him. 

"Mais oui." 

"So, swamp rat, what are yah doin' up heah, so fah from home?" 

"Remy come t' see all de pretty women of de nort'." Rogue snorted again, and Remy adopted a sly expression. "But looks like he lucky, he found de most belle fille 'n de states." Rogue reddened and she ducked her head, acting as if she had spotted something on the hallway floor. A moment later, she lifted her head once more, turning to look at him with a frown on her lips. 

"Now, listen heah, you," she stated firmly. "Ah don' appreciate all o' this flirtin', an' Ah dunno what yah want, but yah ain' gettin' nothin' from meh." 

"Oh, chere, y' wound Remy. I don' want anyt'ing but t' get t' know y', dat's all." 

"An' jus' whay me?" 

"Remy t'ink y' beautiful, cherie." She eyed him skeptically. "Really, y're diff'rent from all de ot'ers here." 

Rogue huffed, beginning to walk again. "Ah don' believe yah. That's jus' a line, an' yah got somethin' planned, ah know it." She stopped outside of the door to her next class, turning to face him. "An' Ah ain' gon' let ya fool me, swamp rat. Ya got that?" 

"Mais, chere, Remy don' want t' fool y' none." Rogue rolled her eyes and turned to walk into her classroom when a hand caught her elbow. "Wait, chere, please." 

Rogue jerked her arm out of his hand but hesitated, the pleading tone in his voice softening her own. "Didn't Ah tell ya not ta touch meh? Ah got ta get ta class." 

"Rogue, belle, meet me aft'school, by de gym. Let Remy prove h'self." 

She stared at him, pursing her lips. Letting her arms fall to her sides resignedly, she muttered, "Whatevah, no promises," and turned to enter her class, not waiting for his response, or rather a chance to keep her longer. His presence was commanding, and hard to deny. She needed to get away from him. She should keep away. As she got to her seat, she glanced up at the door, half expecting him to still be there, watching her. A mix of relief, and disappointment, rushed over her when she did not see him, evoking a sigh. She should keep away, but she was not sure if she could. Remy. He sounded sincere. But she was unsure, she did not think he should be trusted. But there was something in his voice, she felt something in his words. No. No, why was she hesitating, even defending him? He was an Acolyte, one of Magneto's goons. But then again, Pietro was Magneto's own son. How could she trust one and not the other then? Did she even trust Pietro, for that matter? She was so confused. How would she ever find the answer to her questions? Rogue reached up to clutch her forehead. What was she going to do? 

Meanwhile, Remy reclined against a brick wall, having made his way to the roof of the school after deciding to skip his own class that period. After puffing on the last of his cigar, he extinguished it on the cement beside him and eyed the school grounds. It was peaceful up here. 

He knew she would show up afterschool. Even after all of her words and maybe minor threats, she would show. He almost laughed when he recalled each look on her face. She was well on her way to being his. Tsk. He would have thought Pietro could have put up more of a challenge than this. If anything, he was just an annoyance. But no matter. Rogue's own skin would put up just as much trouble. Plus she was just as fiery as he thought she would be. Remy would still have some fun in seducing this one. And besides, who knows, speedy still had a bit of time left. Remy shook his head, scoffing at the thought. Amateur. 

~~~~~~~ 

Remy is soooooo evil. Yes, yes, it's all a game to him right now. And he's succeeded in having Rogue begin to doubt herself, in thinking he was being sincere, maybe. Hey, he's good at what he does! And while Rogue is feeling semi-attracted to Remy, she has yet to really have any feelings of the kind for Pietro. I hope I'm portraying how her mind is full of Remy and hardly of Pietro well enough. To just show how Remy is seducing her and Pietro is fumbling, at least in romantic terms. Pietro's done good in gaining a pseudo-friendship, and in that area, things are going well... but that's not exactly his intention, is it? At least, for the moment. 

I had trouble with this chapter. I don't do too well evilly, I don't think. I like playful much better. Even angsty seems to be easier for me. But writing about someone evil is hard. Especially when it's a manipulative type. Cause on the one hand, he's supposed to project a good, sincere image. And me as the writer, I sometimes feel that that's making him uncharacteristic. And then when he's alone, and being true, his personality seems to jump. Makes it hard to keep his character stable. So, I can't get a hold of Remy's character just yet, it seems. 

I'm not sure I like this chapter too much. :-/ I don't know how to change it though. It still seems a bit contrived, and awkward. Bah. 

Next chapter will be more Remy/Rogue. But remember, Pietro's not gone. The story is unfolding in my mind and I'm excited about getting through it. 

Lol, now I got a rant on pro-Romy. Ok, well, not exactly a rant because I think it can hardly compare to my own, and AJ, I assure you, you are no ranting maniac. It seems I got quite a few scared that this is going to become a Rietro, but rest assured, it's still a Romy, and it's going to stay that way. I don't say that just because you all are telling me to keep it a Romy, but because I am a Romy fan too. I just like Rietro. So relax. Tell me more about what might make the way I tell the story better, maybe. Course, y'all are still being as encouraging as can be, so what you're doing now is just as good. :) Either way, It's real nice to know that people are reading this. Thank you! 

You think I should make my chapters longer? I won't be able to update it nearly as quickly. I never actively make my writing longer or shorter. I write until it feels ended. But maybe short chapters are just really choppy and stuff. Longer chapters might be more appealing, yes? Though I won't be able to update daily, or nearly daily, as it is now. 

Rielyn 


	8. Persuasion

Touching

Disclaimer: X-Men Evolution characters are not mine. 

~~~~~~~ 

Rogue fiddled with the sleeves of her shirt as she sat her bag on top of the picnic table. Tapping her foot, she scanned the area around the gym, glancing every now and then towards the parking lot, as if contemplating a swift retreat. Why was she even here? It was too late to back out anyhow, she had already sent the rest of the X-Men home, telling them that she had to speak with a teacher and that she would find an alternate way to get home. She sighed. So, she was here, and what now? That swamp rat better get there soon, she was not going to wait forever. 

As if on cue, she felt the hairs on the back of her neck bristle and a moment later two hands were placed on her hips from behind. "Remy be glad y' take him up on de date," a husky voice murmured into her ear. 

Rogue spun around, drawing back to put some distance between herself and the cajun. "Ah hate it when yah sneak up on meh lahke that!" 

"Sorry, chere, I can' help it. De look on y' face each time is priceless." He smirked, his eyes roaming over her body again, making her fidget uncomfortably. 

Rogue crossed her arms, trying to give him a stern look, but failing miserably. "An' just what do yah mean by 'date'? Ah nevah agreed ta nothin' lahke that." 

"Why sure y' did, belle. Y'here, aren' y'?" 

"But that doesn' mean that Ah..." She paused as Remy started walking away, towards the parking lot. "An' jus' wheah d'ya think y're goin'? Ah ain' finished talkin' yet!" 

"C'mon, chere. Follow Remy." He beckoned to her without turning around, as if he knew she would follow and Rogue grimaced. He was NOT going to get his way. Instead, she stood there, arms folded across her chest, staring angrily at Remy's back. "Chere, hurry up." 

"Ah ain' goin' with yah." 

Remy stopped walking, turning around and placing his hands on his hips as he eyed her with an amused smirk. He approached her again and she stood her ground, continuing to glare at him. Raising his gloved hands, he cupped her cheeks, tilting her face up as he leaned in close. Her frown faded, her mouth becoming more slack, and her face rouged at his nearness, fear flitting through her eyes, but he caressed her cheek reassuringly. "Oh, cherie, don' be afraid. Remy ain' gon' t' hurt y' none," he whispered, wetting his lips. Her eyes were drawn to the motion, and she repeated it, drawing her tongue lightly over her lips. 

Rogue took in a shuddering breath, wanting to draw away but finding herself unable to. She raised her hands to clutch at his wrists, murmuring half-heartedly, "Ah ain' afraid o' yah." 

Remy smiled, drawing back slightly, and Rogue felt a desire to cry out, to pull him back into the intimate space between them. "Den what's de problem, chere?" 

"Ah... Ah'm not..." She hesitated, confusion running over her. Why did she hesitate? Why didn't she want to go with him? "Ah.. guess there isn' one." Remy smiled, releasing her slowly, letting his gloved fingers leave a soft trail over her cheek. 

"Den let's go. Trus' Remy, ma belle fille." He extended his hand towards her, waiting patiently. "Please?" Rogue stared at his hand, with its long fingers, slender and deft-looking. Wait, wait, it was going so fast, she could not think straight. He seemed to be so dependent on her choice, as if he would crumble if she refused him. Could she even refuse him? But then that would mean she would follow him, her enemy. Who knows where he would take her, and that was dangerous. Still, he pulled at her, not physically, but emotionally. She looked up into his eyes, regretting it the moment she did, as he silently pleaded his case with his gaze. Every fiber of her being fought her sense of reason when she looked up at him. He whispered, "Cherie," and she found her heart palpitating. He had her. Rogue lifted her hand, trembling, slowly moving it to take his when she paused, closing her eyes and looking as if she was going through some internal fight. 

Suddenly, a scream tore out from her throat, "N-No!" and she pulled back, shying away from Remy, avoiding meeting his pained stare. "Ah don' trust ya! Y're an Acolyte, one o' Magneto's goons! Ah don' wan' ta get ta know ya, an Ah def'nitely don' wan' ta go on a date with ya! Leave meh alone!" She turned to run away, but he caught her wrist. 

"Chere, please," he pleaded. 

"No, no, leave meh alone, let meh go! Don' touch meh!" 

"Please, listen t' Remy. Let m' explain." 

"Ah don' want ta listen ta ya no more." 

"Rogue." He used her name. Instead of 'chere' or 'belle,' and the effect calmed her down although she still fought a bit to get out of his hold. 

"Please, Remy," her voice was softer, pleading. "Please don' do this ta meh." 

"Do what, chere. What am I doin'?" 

Rogue limpened, though she still stood upright. She did not want to fight, she could not fight him anymore. "Please don' use meh, please don' manipulate meh." Suddenly tears came unbidden from her eyes, though she fought fruitlessly to hold them back. "Please." She remembered Risty, or rather Mystique, and all the lies that were fed her. How Mystique played her emotions, and Rogue was her own daughter. How could Mystique use her in such cold blood? Mystique had infiltrated her heart with her Risty persona. And Rogue could not remember feeling any more betrayed. She learned then that she should never trust anybody, make close friends with anybody like she had with Risty. Risty had made her feel happy at times, even normal, but it was all a lie. Like Remy. He was all a lie, she was sure. He was an Acolyte, no more capable of being trusted than Mystique. But she could not fight him. Why wouldn't he relent? Please. 

Remy just looked at her for a moment, feeling the slew of emotions that she did through his empathy. Just what had this girl gone through? Sure, not being able to touch was no piece of cake, but surely it was not that rough. Just what had happened to make her feel so terrified? He hesitated slightly. Maybe he shouldn't play with her. She seemed to have bottled up quite a bit of pain inside of her, could she take this game? 

"Rogue," he began softly, hesitantly. "Chere, please, jus' let me... Why don' we jus' go f' a bite, or somethin'? An' we can talk. Remy won' rush y' no more, I promise." She raised her chin, her green eyes glimmering with unshed tears that soon spilled down her pale cheeks. She looked so vulnerable, so fragile, at that moment as he raised a finger to wipe her tears away. She internally scolded herself for crying in front of him, for crying in front of anybody, but she was not able to help it. She felt so weak. She could not fight anymore. 

"Okay." She lifted her hand to take his and he lead her to where his motorcycle rested, her backpack forgotten on the picnic table. 

~~~~~~~ 

I debated momentarily to have Pietro pop out at the end and have him have heard everything. But then I decided I just wanted this pure Remy/Rogue interaction. 

Remy is still bad, but look, a hesitation. Not that he cares about her, yet. Just wondering if she could take the game, though he still continued. It's a good start at least. Not devoid of a conscience. 

I also was gonna have Rogue give in much sooner than she did, but I didn't want her to seem that easy for Remy to seduce. I mean, not that she loves him yet, or is really seduced, but he's got her coming along with him with a bit of persuasion, and that took a bit, I think. I hope I made that clear. Just to make it clear that she is a challenge for him. 

A part of me also regrets that there is no true tenderness shared between Remy and Rogue just yet. Just alot of Remy being forward, cocky, and pushy, and Rogue feeling attracted, confused, and scared. Don't worry, and I'm telling this to myself too, there'll be time for that later. 

Mm. With how I'm planning the story to go, I've been wondering something. How graphic do you think I should be? And whether the rating goes up depends on how graphic I choose to be. 

Sorry, Rietro-lovers, this is a Romy, but don't worry, I have something in store that ought to satiate you. :) 

Rielyn 


	9. First Date

Touching

Disclaimer: X-Men Evolution Characters are not mine. Oh, and fyi, french translations are at the end, though I can't promise that the french is correct. 

~~~~~~~ 

Rogue sighed, breathing in Remy's scent of cologne and cigars in the process. She gave in. And what was worse, she had cried in front of him. A wave of self-loathing crashed over her, causing a grimace to cross her lips. She was seated behind Remy on his motorcycle, her arms wrapped around him as loosely as she dared, and she had no clue where he was taking her. Initially, she had flushed in embarrassment about sitting there, holding him about his waist, but then the ride started, and in the relative quiet she found herself at peace. The wind had whipped her hair about her head, into her eyes, and she had to bring a hand up to hold the strands away from her face. Everything was going by so quickly, and she felt a sort of distance from everything. A sort of alienation, though it was pleasant. Buildings rushed past, people were a blur, yet the whole ride seemed to go so slowly through time. It felt surreal. She felt her self-loathing rise from her chest, replaced with a sense of wonder, almost freedom in the ride. If she was not anchored to Remy, she believed that she could have very well been able to fly, up and off of the bike, into the nothingness that is the expanse of sky, free from pain and longing. Free from doubt. From love. 

She felt herself glancing up at the cajun, watching his own auburn hair flutter in the wind, and she reprimanded herself internally, scoffing. Love, really. Was she that desperate? Well, yes, almost. She longed for a relationship, she wanted love, and it hurt that she could not have it, she knew she would never have it. She would do anything to be able to find someone to become, well, at least a friend. But this manipulative rat? He was using her, and it was so easy. She had given in, hardly fighting his suggestive tone and his lusty glances. And his god-forsaken way of touching her. The self-loathing was back, though it came this time partnered with anger and hatred for Remy. It was his fault. Such a rat, such an asshole. Trying to use her, to seduce her, to manipulate her. And damnit, though she fought, she knew that once he turned to her, once he spoke, once he simply fucking looked at her, her resolution immediately would disappear, and she was tied around his little finger. 

So here she was. Sitting behind him, actually enjoying the ride. On the way to a date with aforementioned rat. She sighed once more. Why couldn't life have been easy for her? She would love a life where her greatest worry would be what to wear, instead of who might she kill today. She was only seventeen, but she felt like she had seen the world at least ten times over, and she was just about done with life. And then Remy waltzed in, complicating everything even further. She just wanted to be left alone, why couldn't the Gods have at least allowed her that? Please, damnit. Was it so much to ask that she have things easy for once? 

***** 

Remy glanced over at his mirror to check on the girl sitting on the bike behind him. She had appeared to enjoy the ride at first, but apparently the mood soured. He felt deep frustration, anger, hatred, self-loathing, and depression emanate her so powerfully that he had to concentrate in order to remain composed. So far, the date was not going too well. So much for taking the extra-scenic route, he might as well quit dallying and head over to the restaurant. 

He should make her forget, feel carefree, without the weight she carried on her shoulders. Even moreso, he should make her feel that she was not alone in her pain. And her companion, him. Yes, that was what he had to do. He had to help her have fun for once, while at the same time make her feel connected with him. It would be trickier than he initially believed; she was so deep inside her dark hole, he would need a lot more than coaxing if he wanted her to come to him. Her trust was harder to obtain than most, but then again, that was probably his fault to begin with. He had blundered with being so forward, and he had scared her into questioning his intentions. It was an honest mistake, he assured himself, usually it works. Women loved to get swept off their feet. But clearly, Rogue was hardly like other women. The girl had issues. Issues that he had not quite understood, nor even now did he understand them. He had not even foreseen the problem; she looked so strong, so together. She knew what she wanted, and what she did not want. Or so it seemed. The facade was so very well placed that it had fooled even he, and he had a talent for reading people. 

In any case, they were there, and in order to gain her trust, and another firm footing on the way to a relationship, he had to get past her problems. Something very few people, or maybe even nobody, had been successful in doing. Maybe they were afraid, maybe intimidated by the magnitude of her problems, or maybe plainly they did not care. Remy wrinkled his nose as he stared out into the road in front of him. As much as the X-Men tried to exude a family type of environment, each and every mutant had personal issues to face, he himself had issues. Issues came along with the gifts they were born with; if you had a mutant power, you had a problem. So there was only so much togetherness and team work that could go around. And Rogue's power, the very thing she needed help with, naturally created a distance between them, even moreso with her pushing everybody away. 

So how to win her over? Well, first, getting her to laugh would be good. He smirked at his own sarcasm. He was determined to at least gain her trust by evening. If anybody could do it, he could. 

***** 

They stopped finally outside of a very cush-looking french restaurant, and Rogue suddenly felt self-conscious, like she was under-dressed, all previous thoughts vanishing for the moment in her surprise. She stared up at the establishment then back at Remy. 

"Heah? Yah cain't b' serious." Remy grinned over to her as he dismounted, taking her hand to help her down. 

"An' why not?" 

"It's too expensive, that's whay." She eyed him critically, standing now beside the motorcycle. "Yah cain't afford it." 

Remy chuckled. "Have some fait' in Remy, chere. Y'll see, jus' be patient." He extended his arm towards her, but she did not take it, walking defiantly on her own to the front door. Remy smirked as he lowered his arm, moving to follow her. 

Inside, the maître'd eyed them both with the same critical look that Rogue had stared at Remy with. Clearing his throat, Remy sidled up to him and murmured a few words which caused the host's eyes to widen. 

"Bien sûr, monsieur," he replied, a slight tremor in his voice. He called for a waiter and barked sharp instructions to him, who bowed, strutting off quickly to follow the orders. The maître'd turned back to Remy, with an acknowledging glance towards Rogue, though his attention and hesitant smile were for the cajun. "Et bien.." He cleared his throat. "Bienvenue, madame et monsieur, à notre établissement. Votre table sera prête en un moment." Rogue looked up questioningly at Remy, who just smiled and slipped his hand into hers to give it a firm squeeze. Rogue scowled, turning away and pulling her fingers away from his, though she felt like she was going to have a fever from his attentions. 

Moments later the waiter returned, beckoning them to follow him. "S'il vous plait, je vous conduirai à votre table." As they passed the other tables, Rogue could not help but notice how nicely the patrons were dressed, and it was hardly evening or dinnertime. She felt so out of place, out of her league, and she unconsciously crowded closer to Remy, who just looked amusedly down at her, placing a gentle hand on her back as if to guide her. 

"Remy..." she whispered. 

They had reached their table. "Oui, chere?" He pulled out her chair for her and she sat down, looking, and feeling, dazed. 

"Whay are we heah? Ah mean, Ah'm hardly dressed for such a... date." She seemed to have trouble saying it, and perhaps even admitting it. "An' it's barely four thirty." 

Remy did not answer immediately, busy with thanking the waiter and receiving the menus, but soon he returned his gaze to her, taking his seat across from her. "Don' worry 'bout what y' wearin', chere. Y' beautiful anyways." He handed her the menu with a smile. "An' what's de problem wit' four t'irty? Too early f' y'? I t'ought mebbe y'd be hungry." 

"Well.." Rogue blushed, hastily opening up her menu to conceal it. "In the movies, dates ta restaurants as posh as this place always seem ta happen in th' late evenin'." She ducked her head slightly, feeling incredibly sheepish. "An' it's... light out now," she finished lamely. 

Remy laughed good-naturedly. "Well, ma belle fille, good food is good food, no matt' what time it is." Rogue attempted a small smile. He had a nice laugh, and it made her feel more relaxed in such a high-class restaurant. He saw her smile and he returned it winningly, causing Rogue to blink and redden, ducking her head down once more, this time as if perusing the menu. 

"Hey, this is all in French." 

Remy chuckled. "Mais oui, c'est un restaurant francais." Rogue arched an eyebrow at him and he grinned. "Et moi, je suis un homme qui a le plus belle femme dans l'établissement s'asseyant dans le chaise en face de moi-même." 

Rogue blushed. "Ah tahke French yah know..." 

"Et qui a dit que je n'ai pas voulé que tu me comprends?" 

She rolled her eyes. "Oh, shut up, swamp rat. Ah'm not that good anyways at understandin' it, so it won' do yah much good ta try ta seduce meh with ya French, got that?" 

Remy laughed lightly, but continued, his voice exaggerating his already French accent. "Oh, cherie, tes yeux sont la teinte de vert la plus marveilleuse dans le monde." He leaned forward, waggling his eyebrows lecherously, and Rogue had to fight a smile at his low, mock-seducing voice and exaggerated words. "Je peux me perdre dans ces yeux et je ne voudrais jamais les fuir." Rogue could not help it this time and giggled softly, flushing at the words, playful yet so flattering. He continued, attacking her reservations. His grin and his tone was saying, 'This whole 'date' is so silly, so casual. So relax. It's just a movie, where a french restaurant is always SO elegant and romantic and French, being the language of love, is a potent love potion.' His reassuring yet subtle humor did not evade her and she laughed musically, a sound so rare and pleasing that Remy had to pause and listen to it for a moment. And he smiled, genuinely. "Chere, y' should laugh more of'en. It's a beautiful sound." 

Rogue sobered, clearing her throat, the menu becoming very interesting again. "Uh.. anyways, what's th' limit Ah have on what ta ordah?" 

He leaned back, looking at his own menu. "Don' worry 'bout it none, chere. Remy got it all covered." He lifted his eyes, grinning at her. 

She looked at him, unbelieving. "Ya sure?" 

"Pos'tive, belle." 

"Good. 'Cause Ah'm suddenly very hungry." Remy quirked a smile, continuing to watch her for a moment longer as she looked at her menu, making her choices. She was loosening up, good. He did not have to tip toe so much now. He watched as her brow furrowed slightly and her eyes seemed to bore into the page; she looked like she was having trouble with the menu. 

"Do y' need any help translatin', chere?" 

"Nah, Ah can do it mahself, thank yah," she replied curtly. Remy shook his head and smiled once more, almost affectionately, at her stubborn independence, peering down and making his own decisions. 

"Grenouille means frog, by de way," he murmured, though he did not lift his eyes. 

"Ah know that," she snapped. "An' Ah told ya that Ah didn' need ya help, didn' Ah, swamp rat? Or is there still some o' that bayou watah still cloggin' up yah ears?" 

"Jus' makin' sure, chere." There was a moment of silence once more as their attention was placed on the menu. "An' huître is oyster." 

Rogue frowned. "Remy..." she warned. 

A pause. "An' jus' in case, escargot is snail, moule is mussel, and crevette is shrimp." 

Rogue dropped her menu and glared at Remy who smiled innocently back. "Are ya quite done?" she hissed. 

"Quite, chere." 

"Good. Now, hush up an' mind yah own business." 

Remy pretended to look down at his menu obediently as she stared at him, making sure he would hush. Warily, she let her eyes back down to her menu and he opened his mouth, only to dodge a spoon being thrown at him. Instead, the projectile bounced against the wall behind him and fell harmlessly to the floor. "Homard be de lobster." He grinned as she sighed, reaching up to clutch her forehead. "Y' be real gorgeous when y' angry, chere." 

"Yah really are a pain in the neck, Remy." 

"Aw, why don' y' let Remy massage it out f' y' den?" he said, taking a flirtatious tone. Rogue did not reply, instead raising her eyes to shoot daggers at him. He grinned, clearing his throat. "Eit'er dat, or tell m' y' order. It'd make t'ings easier." 

***** 

Soon, the waiter had come and gone, and they sat waiting for the food. Rogue tapped her fingers on the cloth-covered tabletop idly, not having a menu to read any longer, and surveyed the room once more, trying to avoid looking at Remy. He, however, would not keep the silence for long. 

"So, chere, y' havin' fun?" 

"What's ta have fun with," she replied drably. "This place is so uptight, Ah feel lahke Ah'm wearin' a corset." 

"It ain' so bad. 'Sides, Remy be right here wit' y'." 

"Oh, an' that's s'posed ta mahke meh feel bettah?" 

"Oh, chere, y' wound me!" 

Rogue snorted. "Deal." 

"I would have hoped y' might enjoy m' comp'ny as much as I enjoy y's." He looked at her intensely, his voice serious, and Rogue could feel her face heat up from his stare more than his words. 

She cleared her throat. "Uhm, Ah think Ah need a drink. Do ya know when they'll get-" she got cut off as their waiter approached to deposit a bottle of wine and two glasses on their table. "Wine? Ah didn' ordah that." 

"No, chere, y' didn', Remy did," he grinned, proceeding to pour each of them a drink. She refused her glass, however. 

"If ya haven' noticed, Ah'm kinda underage." She eyed him critically. "And so are you!" 

"Live a little, chere," he grinned, handing her the glass. "Don' be so uptight all de time." 

"Uptight? Ah'll show you uptight, swamp rat." Taking her glass, she tilted her head back and took a swig. Remy laughed. 

"Dat ain' how y' drink wine, chere." 

Rogue muttered indignantly, scrubbing her mouth of excess wine with the back of her hand. "Yeah, well, who's anal now?" 

"De femme ain' much o' a lady, now is she?" He playfully tossed his napkin over to her. She crinkled it up into a ball and chucked it right back . 

"No, Ah ain'. Yah gotta problem?" 

"No, chere, Remy love y' jus' de way y' are." Rogue choked slightly, taking another sip of wine, the glass conveniently shielding her flustered face slightly. Did he always have to say something like that? Always putting her on edge, unbalanced. Her eyes flickered over to him and he gave her a grin that left her heart palpitating wildly in her chest. She was not going to say anything, then he would not be able to get her flustered. 

The food arrived not too soon after; steaming bowls and dishes that filled the air with a pleasant aroma. Quite a bit of the disarray belonged to Rogue, yet Remy felt no qualms about sneaking a taste from each plate. 

"Mm, dig in, chere. Ain' not'in' like good food t' satisfy y'." 

Rogue eyed her plates warily while Remy proceeded on his own dishes, but she made no move to touch it. There was a lot of food, and she suddenly felt guilty. "Remy..." She glanced up at him, watching him eat, and he met her gaze moments later, his expression turning quizzical. 

"Chere, why aren' y' eatin'? Remy t'ought y' be hungry." 

"Are ya sure 'bout this? Ah mean, honestly, can ya really afford it?" 

"Oh, ma belle fille, don' worry 'bout it. Y' leave Remy t' deal wit' de financials." He handed her a fork, smiling encouragingly. "G' on, it's good. De best dere is around." 

After only a moment more of hesitation, she dug into her plate. Soon she was savouring each dish, relishing each flavor and each spice, cleaning the plate in a matter of minutes. Remy watched her polish off each dish one by one, and with an occasional gulp of her wine, with an amused smirk. 

"What, dey don' feed y' at dat mansion o' yours?" 

Rogue blushed, slowing her pace down. "It's not that. Ah really was hungry, an' this stuff is really good." 

"Wort' de price, n'est-ce pas?" 

"Yeah." Rogue smiled. "Ah've nevah even been ta such a fancy place lahke this before, an' ya sit there as if yah own the place." She frowned, eyeing him, disbelief crossing her features. "Yah don' own the place, do yah?" 

Remy grinned. "No, not'in' like dat." 

"Then how does a swamp rat lahke ya get th' money ta afford eatin' so cushly?" 

"Dat's a secret, ma belle fille." She pouted indignantly and he laughed. "Bien, Remy at least tell y' dat it not be what y' have, but who y' know. Connections, chere." 

Rogue fit a spoonful of her last plate of food into her mouth before she replied, "Uh-huh." She allowed a moment more for her to swallow. "An' how'd ya get these kinds o' connections?" 

"Here and dere. Comes in de line o' work." 

She arched an eyebrow. "An' yer work is helpin' psychos try ta tahke ovah th' world?" 

Remy chuckled, his eyes flashing slightly. "No, chere. Remy only hired by one, c'est tout." 

"Hired? Whay for? Whay ya?" Remy smirked but did not answer, evoking a suspicious frown from Rogue. "Who are ya?" 

"I t'ought we were done wit' de introductions, chere." 

"Ah don' mean yer name, swamp rat. Ah mean, WHO are ya, really?" Remy paused and looked down at his plate, pushing the remnants around with his spoon guiltily. Rogue pursed her lips, resting her wrists upon the tabletop decidedly. "Tell me, Remy." 

His voice was low, and sounded ashamed. "Y' won' like me if I tell y'." 

"Is it that bad?" There was another moment of silence when he did not reply, and she continued, "Listen, Remy, Ah promise ya that Ah won' judge ya, okay?" He raised his chin suddenly at the words, his eyes flashing. 

"Mais, chere, y've been judgin' me dis whole time! D'ya know how hard it is t' convince y' to give Remy a chance?" 

He was making her feel guilty and she revolted, her green eyes glimmering with indignancy. "Well, what do ya expect? Ya sahde with Magneto, mah ENEMY. An' y've attacked meh before. How am Ah to trust ya?" Remy leaned forward suddenly, catching her hand in his. 

"D'ya feel this? D'ya feel me holdin' y' hand? Dis is real. I'm real. Whatever happens out dere, isn', comprenez? Remy be hired, bound by contract, but he never wanted t' hurt y'. Did I hurt y'?" 

"No, Remy, but-" 

"But what, chere? He hired Remy, an' Remy don' have much choice in de matter. How else am I s'posed t' get by?" Rogue remained silent, her eyes lowered, defeated and submissive, staring at his hand holding hers, touching yet separated by cloth. The hand she felt, did it feel real? How was she supposed to know? All she could feel was the shield, the veil between them, covering her eyes. Was what he said believeable? Could she really trust him? 

"Who ARE ya?" she demanded once more, quietly this time. "Ah deserve ta know, at th' very least." 

Remy sighed, releasing her hand and pushing away from the table. "Let's go, chere. Remy be in no mood f' dessert." She followed him reluctantly out of the restaurant, the question of payment for the dinner only a dim concern in her mind, but stopped in front of his motorcycle. He sat there, waiting fruitlessly for her to board and stared at her with a trace of annoyance. 

"Tell meh, Remy." She lifted her hand to touch his knuckle, his hand gripping the handlebars of his bike tightly. "Please?" 

Remy looked away to avoid her eyes. "Remy is not good 'nough f' y', chere. An' I jus' be 'fraid of y' realizin' it." She opened her mouth, her eyes full of compassion, but before she could speak, he continued, "But y' do deserve t' know." He paused, his breathing heavy as if it was difficult for him to admit. "Remy be a t'ief for a livin', an' not jus' any common t'ief. He be de prince o' t'ieves, de best dere is. Remy steals for a livin'." His posture slumped visibly. "An' now he hired by a psycho, bound by contract dat he can' break, else he go agains' all he know. Chere, y' right for not trustin' Remy," he sighed morosely, the sound tugging at her heartstrings. "I'm sorry, chere. I jus'... I feel so trapped, so alone. Helpless." 

Rogue shook her head, her previous bout of speechlessness overcome. "Remy, shh, it's okay, Ah understand." She approached him, placing a hand on his back albeit uncomfortably. "Ah understand, really." He seemed so misunderstood. She was wrong about not trusting him, and it made her feel terrible that she probably added to his pain. Pain that seemed so similar to hers. She gave him a small encouraging smile. "Ya aren' alone, swamp rat. Ya got a mississippi river rat for company." 

He turned back towards her, touching her chin to lift her face with a soft smile that made her body tingle. "An' de mos' beautiful rat at dat." 

Rogue smirked. "Ah don' know if Ah should be flattahed, or insulted." 

Remy winked at her, helping her to mount the bike behind him. "If y' insulted, Remy sorry and would be glad t' kiss an' make up." 

"Only if ya want ta die, swamp rat." 

"It'd be wort' it." Rogue laughed, smacking him on the back playfully with her free hand, the other one already grasping his side. "Alright, chere, time t' take y' home." Rogue smiled, leaning her cheek into his back as he started up his motorcycle and took off. He was really not so bad. Incredibly persistent. Maybe cocky and sure of himself, too. But on the inside, he was good, just misunderstood. Just coincidental that he had to be hired by the wrong side. She would help him out though, she was determined to. 

Remy grinned, the expression hidden from Rogue. He was so good, he impressed even himself. Just like putty in his hand. He had her. 

~~~~~~~ 

Longest chapter yet. Which was why it took me longer. I didn't want to cut it off in the middle of the date, but the whole thing was getting tedious for me, so I wouldn't be surprised if the quality isn't too good. :-/ I'll edit it sometime. I'll edit all the chapters sometime. Probably when it's finished, give it a once over. 

See, I like to do descriptions. But it tends to slow things down, and I was getting impatient with how things were going so slowly, especially at times during the date. Damnit. Why couldn't I have been satisfied with a simple, 'they chatted idly as they ate' type thing. But no, had to write each exchange. I got so impatient, it began to be like pulling teeth. And I like to write! Though I have been feeling rather discouraged. I think it was just playful and joking, but it was rather harsh to all of a sudden see mutiple 'I HATE YOU's strewn across the screen. (I'm exaggerating, btw) I'm not exactly taking it personally, but it was still rather disheartening. And simply because this is a romy. I debated removing the 'review,' but I decided that I don't want to censor. That was why I said before that it's ok to criticize, as long as it's not a 'you suck.' I should add to that and say that 'I hate you' is not allowed either. Does not do much for the old self-esteem. Maybe I'm just being silly, though. 

So basically, I had trouble getting this chapter out, and not because it had to be so long. I haven't been too motivated recently to write. I mean, I still want to write, but for some reason it's been hard to get the words out as I'd like them. Maybe I've spent the block of creativity that's been building up all these years already. Wow, that would suck. 

You ask, graphic how? Ah-heh. Well, here, on PG-13, there have been references to sex, as in how Remy turns Rogue on (e.g. 'she wanted him. badly.' chapter 4). I've just been debating between dealing with that kind of theme either directly, fade-out method, or just not at all. I don't know. There have been quite a few sensual moments in this fic already, and I like to do that. No, no lemons, not like that, tone it down a bit. And I just want to know how far is tasteful. 

Remy is still bad. I'm still having a problem characterizing him exactly. Because of his whole dual-sided thing. And Rogue, I'm not sure she's consistent. I don't know. I'm tired. I'm beginning to lose vocabulary. 

I really hope you guys enjoy this chapter. :) 

Rielyn 

Translations: 

* Bien sûr, monsieur - Of course, Sir 

* Bienvenue, madame et monsieur, à notre établissement. Votre table sera prête en un moment - Welcome, madame and sir, to our establishment. Your table will be ready in a moment. 

* S'il vous plait, je vous conduirai à votre table - Please, I will show you to your table 

* Et moi, je suis un homme qui a le plus belle femme dans l'établissement s'asseyant dans le chaise en face de moi-même - And me, I am a man who has the most beautiful woman in the establishment sitting in the chair across from me 

* Et qui a dit que je n'ai pas voulé que tu me comprends? - And who said that I didn't want you to understand me? 

* Oh, cherie, tes yeux sont la teinte de vert la plus marveilleuse dans le monde - Oh, dear, your eyes are the most marvelous shade of green in the world 

* Je peux me perdre dans ces yeux et je ne voudrais jamais les fuir - I could lose myself in these eyes and I would never want to escape them 

(Sorry for mangling them, if I did. You would think after 6 or so years, my french would be near to flawless, but I think it's far from that.) 


	10. Confession

Touching

Disclaimer: X-Men Evolution is not mine. 

~~~~~~~ 

Pietro hated waiting. Everything around him always moved so slowly, at least in his eyes. It was hard to be patient when in his world, time went faster, so he rarely was. And this time, there was cause for him to be even more anxious. "C'mon C'mon C'mon, Roguey, where are you?" He had been waiting, hidden, outside of the mansion since school ended, his super speed aiding him to get there before anybody else. He had to talk to her as soon as possible, alone. But when the X-Men returned from school, Rogue was not among them. So here he was. He tapped his foot impatiently, beginning to pace back and forth, becoming an agitated blur in his vantage point behind a tree. Where was she? He knew Gambit was behind her disappearance. He should have approached her at school, even though there would be little chance for privacy there. Especially when Gambit would most likely be lurking around. He glared at the bouquet of roses he had purchased for her. He had been afraid that she would reject him and did not want anybody, least of all Gambit, to witness his embarrassment. It would have been a fatal blow to his pride. But what did that matter now, when he could not find her in the first place? Damnit. 

A laugh trilled in the air, accompanied by a motorcycle engine, and Pietro froze. It couldn't be. No, it couldn't be Rogue. It wasn't her voice, it just wasn't! He darted towards the tree, scooping up his flowers as he peeked at the scene at the gates. His heart caught in his throat; he couldn't deny it, it was Rogue. She was dismounting Remy's motorcycle, smiling too happily, and even a giggle made its way faintly to Pietro's ear. Her hand rested familiarly on the cajun's back, the act merely friendly, but still it drove him mad, his hand tightening around the stems of the roses. He wanted to run, wanted to deny that this was happening, but he remained fixated, shocked, as he saw Remy take her hand and kiss it, murmuring undoubtedly sensual words to bring a soft blush to tint her cheeks. When she finally drew away, Pietro let out a tortured breath that he had not realized he was holding. 

Rogue. 

She turned to enter the gates, Remy having disappeared down the street, only to come face to face with Pietro, his expression pained. "Pietro!" She flinched backwards, automatically, lifting a hand to her chest in her surprise. "Ah didn' know ya were there..." 

His voice was low and strained. "Why were you with him?" 

"What?" 

"Gambit. Why were you with him? I thought you knew better than that." 

"No, Pietro, he ain' that bad, he jus'-" 

"No, Rogue, he's using you, manipulating you! You can't trust him!" 

Rogue stared at him, her anger beginning to flare. "What do you know? Ya don' know him, have ya evah even talked ta him, really?" 

"Rogue, you've just met him! I've seen-" 

"Ya've seen nothin'! It's all an act for Magneto, for yer father! He's jus' hired, bound by contract!" 

"No, Rogue, LISTEN to me! He's lyin-" 

"No, Pietro, ya listen to meh." She strode up to him, poking him forcefully in the chest, causing him to fall back slightly. "Ya don' know nothin'! Ya don' even know him! An' besahdes, Ah know what Ah'm doin', an' Ah don' need Magneto's own beck 'n call boy, aka his son, ta tell me what ta do!" Her voice was full of venom, her green eyes furious. 

Pietro shook his head weakly, the words taking their toll. "But Rogue-" 

"It's none o' ya business, anyways! Ah don' know whay all o' a sudden ya care so much, ya nevah seemed ta give a damn before." 

"Gambit is trouble, Rogue. Don't get involved with him, please!" he pleaded, almost begging. "He's just going to hurt you." Rogue glared at him, but the look in his stormy blue eyes quieted the barb she had planned to return. 

"Pietro, Ah can tahke care o' mahself." He sighed, turning away and avoiding her angrily defiant eyes. 

"I know, Rogue. I know, but I just... I just don't want him to hurt you." Hesitantly, he lifted the hand that held his bouquet, and Rogue became speechless, her jaw slack. "This wasn't how I wanted it to go, and I didn't want to tell you in the first place because I knew it would hurt you more than help." He ducked his head, turning his eyes to his feet. "I love you, Rogue." He lifted his eyes again, and she saw the sincerity in the startling blue. "I have for the longest time. It feels like I've loved you forever, but I could never tell you, because of who I am, and who you are." He paused, but when she did not say anything he continued, "And the reason I'm telling you now is because I can't let Gambit hurt you." 

They stood there, silent, Pietro finished with his confession. A soft wind ruffled their hair and the roses that rested between them in Pietro's hand, the only movement in the seconds that felt like hours, especially for the speed demon. Rogue broke first, stumbling backwards and shaking her head in disbelief. 

"Ah... Pietro, Ah.." She swallowed, averting her gaze. He loved her. But, what did she feel? She was confused, unsure, and stunned, all at the same time. It had never occurred to her before, never in her wildest dreams did Pietro ever confess his love for her. It couldn't be real. A whiff of his cologne, mingled with the subtle scent of the roses, made its way to her; so different than that cologne and cigar combination that Remy emanated. Pietro seemed to be so safe, while Remy was dangerous. And now Pietro was here, offering his love, his own pride on the line, for her. But could she give it a chance, with Pietro? Could it even work? She couldn't touch, and they were on different sides. But did that matter? She raised her eyes to his, but there was a question in his striking blue eyes that she did not feel ready to answer. She turned to the gates, to flee, but he caught her wrist. 

"Rogue, please," he cried, his voice anguished. "I... I understand if you don't feel the same..." He trailed off, swallowing the growing lump in his throat. "But, please, listen to my warning about Gambit. I don't want you to get hurt." 

Rogue did not turn to face him, her shoulders slumping in resignation. "Don' worry, Pietro." Her voice was soft and barely audible. "There's nothin' happ'nin' between Remy and Ah. We're simply friends, if that." She turned her head slightly towards him, though it still remained bowed, her eyes hidden by her strands of hair. "Please let meh go now, Pietro." He nodded, releasing her hand, standing there a moment longer as she escaped into the mansion grounds. Dropping his eyes to the bouquet in his hand, he took several shuddering breaths, his expression becoming stony to allay any tears. 

"Rogue..." He clenched his fists. He had told her, and she fled. It hurt, more than he had ever dreamed it would. Grunting, he threw the bouquet to the side as he turned away from the gates, lifting his face to the sky and breathing heavily. He wanted to scream. He wanted to run. 

Instead, he made a vow. "I'll be here for you, Rogue," he stated out loud, though he knew she would not hear him. "If you need anything, I'll be here waiting. When he disappoints you, I'll be here. I will never let you down." 

~~~~~~~ 

Dunno how I feel about this chapter. I stumbled at parts, admittedly. It can be rather difficult, you know, to get the flow right. Cause I don't want to be too choppy, though that is how though processes tend to be. 

I don't have too much to comment on this chapter. Poor Pietro. She didn't reject him, but she didn't welcome him with open arms either. This chapter took longer than I expected because I almost chose a different path than how it ended up going. And I ended up deleting the half a page I typed, starting over. 

Are you getting impatient? I can see how. This is going to be another set back for Rogue. Or rather for Remy, since he wants to get with her. This fic is promising to be fairly long, or so it seems. The time seems to go by so fast, and yet so slowly when I read/write it. I dunno. 

Sheesh, Ishandahalf, be patient. Remy is going to fall for Rogue, you know that and I promise you that he will, but it's going to take time. It drives me crazy when they meet and boom they're like, 'wow, i felt a connection.' I think it'd make the love much deeper, and more genuine, when it's something worked at. Or not exactly worked at, but as they get to know eachother better... you know what I mean? So sue me, I'm a hopeless romantic, with a flair for drama (which is why Pietro is there). 

Thank you for your continuing support, everyone, really. I feel so appreciated. :) 

:) 

Rielyn 


	11. Life Is Never Fair

Touching

Disclaimer: X-Men Evolution is not mine 

~~~~~~~ 

Rogue sat in her room, arms wrapped around her legs, making herself into the smallest ball possible, as if to reduce the chance of being a target. Resting her chin on her knees, she sighed. She was so confused, so unsure, so not in control, and she hated it. Why her? Why now, so all of a sudden? Usually she scared everybody off, she wanted to scare everybody off, and normally it worked. Though apparently Pietro saw right through that. She sighed. Didn't he see how it could never work? Evan would freak, Scott and the others would never let it go, and the guys of the brotherhood; well, actually, maybe they would just tease him. Her eyes flickered down to her gloved hands, lifting one and removing the protective cloth. But even if their teammates accepted it, there was still the problem of her poison skin. It looked so normal, so harmless. But a simple touch, a caress without protection could prove to be so deadly. Her eyes crumbled into tears and she pressed her face into her thighs to stifle sobs. She would never be able to kiss him anyway, never be able to feel his cheek against hers, never get to see how soft or rugged his skin felt. It wasn't fair, it just wasn't. She hated her power, her curse. 

Suddenly, a shrill voice called out, startling her out of her thoughts. "Omigod, Rogue, are you okay?" Kitty had phased into their room and had saw her before Rogue could quickly compose herself. "You've been crying? Why? What happened?" Her voice was full of worry and concern. 

"Didn' ya evah hear o' knockin' before comin' in?" Rogue snapped, jerking away to the other side of the bed. 

"Rogue, what happened?" 

"It's none o' ya business, Kitty. Leave meh alone." 

"Sure it's my business. I'm your roommate and your best friend!" 

"Go away! I don' want ta talk about.. about..." Rogue trailed off, breaking down into fresh sobs and Kitty rushed over to her, wrapping her arms around the distraught girl. "Kitty, it's not fair! Whay meh? Whay can' Ah have everythin' you have? What did Ah do wrong?" 

"What are you talking about, Rogue? You have-" 

"Nothin'! Ah have nothin'! An' Ah'll nevah have anythin' so long as Ah have this curse for a power." She was staring at her bare hand again. 

"Rogue-" 

"Pietro loves meh," Rogue murmured softly, her face crumpling again as Kitty sat stunned. "He loves meh, Kitty. An' Ah want ta... Ah want ta.. but Ah cain't. Not while Ah... No, no, not evah!" She began to sob loudly and Kitty held her close, stroking the girl's hair, careful to avoid her skin. "It's not fair, Kitty. It's just not fair!" 

"Shhh, Rogue, shh." Kitty rocked her back and forth soothingly, but she couldn't find any soothing words. What could soothe her anyway? Kitty couldn't fathom not being able to touch, and it was a hell that Rogue lived through everyday. She never realized how much her roommate suffered. Kitty looked down at her compassionately, pushing the snowy white strands of hair from the girl's eyes. Rogue had quieted, the sobs taking their toll, and had fallen into a disturbed slumber. Kitty let Rogue down onto the bed into a position as comfortable as she could manage and phased the blanket up from beneath her until it covered her. Kitty gave the sleeping girl a small but reassuring smile. "I'll keep it a secret, okay? I won't tell anybody about you and Pietro." She turned to leave but hesitated, adding, "Or how you actually cried for once." She left the room as silently as possible, a pensive look on her face. The rogue was human after all. And she suffered so much; she had problems that made everyone else's so petty because hers were problems that, even with work and counseling, would never go away. 

Kitty was determined to help her. Her friend will know love. 

~~~~~~~ 

Short chapter again. I wanted to have Rogue's post-confession thoughts. And Kitty just popped up. She's not going to meddle too much, because I don't really want her intervening too much. Cause I want to keep the story centered on Remy/Rogue/Pietro. 

Kanshisa & Lady Trunks - I'm actually tempted to write a Rietro sometime. It'd have to be after this fic is over, which is gonna be awhile, but I'm considering it. I dunno, though. And don't worry, Pietro's role in Rogue's life is hardly over in this fic; though yeah, she's gonna end up with Remy and not Pietro. 

Oh, and by the way, it's not exactly that Rogue feels the same for Pietro. (At least at this point. :-p) Love is something she longs for, but as she feels it's denied, she thinks it'll always be an unrequited desire. And so when Pietro confesses his love, she naturally wants to return it (and can therefore convince herself that she could/does love him back), just because he's offering his to her. Which makes things worse, yatta yatta yatta. 

I'm definitely not much of an action writer, I don't think. I think I focus more on psychological stuff. Hmm... Angsty too. But romantic! I think I can do humor, but not as well. I should write a much lighter, less thoughtful fic after this. 

:) 

Rielyn 


	12. Round Two

Touching

Disclaimer: The characters of X-Men Evolution do not belong to me. 

~~~~~~~ 

Rogue hesitated before stepping into her first class of the day, the class that she coincidentally shared with both Remy and Pietro. She did not want to face Pietro. Hell, she did not want to face either of them. She fidgeted, turning away and leaning with her back against a row of lockers. How could she go in? Should she sit next to Pietro? Would he sit next to her? Should she act like nothing happened, like he did not say anything? Would he act the same? Was he offended? She hoped not. She ran a hand anxiously through her hair, closing her eyes as she tried to work up the nerve to enter the classroom. God, she was a mess. 

Taking a breath, she put up her facade and stepped finally into the classroom, rolling her eyes when Remy blew her a kiss. And she only hesitated slightly when she saw Pietro; he was sitting where he normally did, next to her seat. Still, she had to avert her gaze when she came near, sitting down quickly at her desk. 

Pietro glanced over at her but lowered his gaze just as quickly. All of a sudden, he felt so small. Why did he have to open his big mouth? When things were going so well, and they had almost become good friends. It was not quite what he wanted, but it was something. He had gone too fast and messed things up. He always went too fast. Why did he have to go and ruin it? But then he glanced up and saw the cajun sitting in his chair, across the room yet still too close to Rogue for comfort, and he felt reassured and justified in his confession. But what now? 

"Roguey...?" Pietro ventured, cautiously. She still did not look at him, pretending to be preoccupied with an imaginary speck of dust on her desktop. 

"Yeah, Pietro?" 

"Are we... still friends..?" Rogue looked up at him then, her green eyes clearly troubled. It tore him apart to see her like this, to know he had caused it. He, and not Gambit. He had to drop his eyes. "I'm sorry I said anything. It's okay. I mean, that you don't feel the same. We can still be friends..." He raised his head as he trailed off slightly. "Can't we?" There was an unspoken 'please'; his stormy blue eyes were begging her that they could still be friends, and Rogue wanted to turn away, wanted to run again. Then the urge turned into a desire to beat some sense into the boy beside her. She DID want to be with him, couldn't he see that? She just couldn't, it was impossible! They couldn't be together, it would never work! Not while they were on separate teams, and most of all not when she would never be able to touch him. She wanted to yell at him, curse at him, refuse him. No, they could not be friends. Not when she felt like this towards him, not when she wanted to be with him, it would be more than she could take. 

But she replied, "Of course, silly," her mouth turning upwards into a smirk. "Since when did Ah revoke yah rights ta bein' mah best friend?" Inside, she wanted to die. "An' besahdes, ya ain' goin' nowhere far, so long as ya still have mah pillow. Which Ah'm gonna get back from ya someday, by force if necessary, speedy." 

Pietro returned her smirk, twitching an eyebrow. "You'd never catch me, Roguey. I'm too fast for you." 

Rogue leaned forward towards him, smiling impishly. "Oh, ya'd let meh catch ya." She winked at him, running her tongue over her lips cattily. The act stunned Pietro and he worked his jaw up and down, trying to reply but finding none. His expression was so dumbfounded that Rogue cracked up, laughing obnoxiously at the speed demon's expense. "Oh, speedy, what happened to yah wisecracks?" 

The taunt reanimated Pietro, and he clamped his mouth into a frown. "Oh, shut up, skunkhead." He pouted, crossing his arms over his chest and sitting back in his chair, sulking. 

"Oh, ease up, whay don' ya? Ya'd laugh too if ya had seen yah face." She wrinkled her nose at him. "Don' be such a baby." He stuck his tongue out at her impudently, but before she could retort, the teacher arrived. She whispered, "I'll get you later for that." 

Pietro grinned. "I'll be ready for you, skunkhead." As he turned towards the front of the class, he took a mental sigh of relief. He did not know for sure if she really was okay. If he knew anything, he knew that the girl could put up a very strong mask if she wanted to. Still, they would still be friends, and that was the best he could hope for. At least he could try to mend gradually the damage he wrought with his confession. 

Meanwhile, Remy sat in his seat, paying no attention to the teacher at the front of the class, instead eyeing Pietro with a wary but pensive gaze. Not bad. Looked like Quicksilver was still in the running. Something was off, and still was off; Pietro must have stumbled, but he picked himself back up and was on the recovery. Tsk. The stumble would cost him dearly though. It was Remy's turn now. 

***** 

Rogue sat quietly as she ate her lunch, her back against the tree. Since that day when Remy snuck up behind her, she wanted to take precautions to avoid any further such surprises. Still, though she was ironically not too surprised, he came up unnoticed to her ear and tickled her with his breath. 

"Bonjour, cherie." 

Without turning around, she replied, "Didn' Ah tell ya ta not sneak up on meh lahke that anymore?" He eased into a sitting position beside her, lifting his hand to brush his fingers along the strands of her hair. 

"Remy got somet'ing f' y', chere." Rogue turned her head towards him quizzically, and sure enough a small white box lay in his lap. Her mind instantly flashed an image of Pietro, and she pursed her lips, turning back to her lunch. 

"Remy, Ah don' want nothin' from ya, okay? Ah cain't accept that." 

"Mais, belle, y' haven' even looked at it yet." 

"Ah cain't accept it," she insisted firmly, hardening her jaw and refusing to look up at him for fear of being charmed like before. She would not give in this time. She willed herself to think of Pietro and his warning; she at least owed that to him. Remy stared at her profile, silent for a moment, hiding a smirk. Good for you, Pietro. Unfortunately, it would not work for long. 

Remy placed the small box in her lap, holding it there as his free hand tilted her chin towards him. Her eyes remained averted but she barely fought him, a pink hue beginning to tint her cheeks. "Please, chere. It would mean so much t' me." He waited a bit, but she did not reply. Sighing, he pulled away, leaving the box in her lap. "I t'ought y' said y' trusted me, Rogue." His voice had adopted a hurt tone, and Rogue swallowed, trying to ease the pang of guilt that jabbed at her chest. "Y' lied t' me, chere. Y' lied, an' y' hurt me." Shaking his head, he appeared to make up his mind. "I'm sorry. I t'ought dat I fin'lly had a friend." He reached over, as if to take the box back and Rogue snatched it out of his reach, turning away as she opened it. Behind her back, Remy grinned. Too easy. 

"It's a scarf. Oh, Remy, ya shouldn' have, it's too beautiful." The scarf was of a sheer but shimmery and soft fabric, very light to the touch, and the dark emerald green reflected the colors of her eyes exactly. She felt a tinge of guilt as she looked at it, but after only a moment's hesitation, she wrapped it decidedly around her neck. "How does it look?" 

Remy smiled, lifting a hand to finger the fabric, the heat of his hand travelling to warm the skin of her neck and shoulders. "Y' beautiful, chere." Rogue blushed and turned her head to look away in embarrassment, but he caught her cheek, his hand draped with the material of the scarf, and lifted her face to look at him. His eyes caught hers; they glowed an intense red and seemed to burn into her, as he moved in close, his other hand moving to lift the scarf to cover her mouth. He rested there, holding her face in his hands, her hands raised to rest against his chest reflexively, waiting for her to push him away if she so wanted. Her heart pounded heavily in her chest and she was sure that he could hear it. Every ounce of reason screamed at her to push him away, she knew what he was going to do in a moment. It was wrong, didn't she hear what Pietro said? But... she wanted him to. She could feel the warmth of his body, like she did the last time he held her at this very spot, and she wanted him just as badly. She was fixated by his eyes, demonically sensual, and she could see that he wanted her too. So, she didn't push him away. He dipped his head and met her lips with his, a chaste kiss, soft and gentle. It surprised her with its brevity as he pulled back almost immediately. But then he returned, more forceful this time, with a deeper kiss, holding her face firmly in his hands. He held it and soon she started returning the kiss, her gloved hands running up his chest to wrap around his shoulders. He pushed her gently back against the tree, holding her there, kneeling between her legs, and she could feel his body pressed full against hers firmly, eliciting a soft moan from her lips. He broke the kiss to press his face into her neck, veiled by the scarf, as she caught her breath, his hands moving down to encircle her waist. Rogue remained still as he kissed her neck through the scarf, savouring the feeling much like she savoured each dish the previous day. Until she opened her eyes. 

Pietro stood there, albeit at a distance, but she could still see the pained expression on his face, unable to tear his eyes away from what he was watching. He noticed her looking at him and she could hear an audible cry of anguish as he sped away. Her breath caught in her throat and she shoved Remy away, who cried out indignantly in surprise. Tearing the scarf from her throat, she threw it at the cajun with as much ferocity as she could muster. "Remy, go away an' leave meh alone! Ah don' want yah gifts, an' Ah sure as hell don' want you! Things were fahne before Ah met ya, an' now ya have ta go an' make a mess o' things! Ah hate ya!" She scrambled to her feet, hastily grabbing her things and rushed off, leaving a rather bewildered Remy in her wake. 

He had her. What happened? Something must have spooked her, or made her feel guilty about kissing him. A wry smile appeared on the Acolyte's face. He had an idea what, or rather who, it was. "Ah, Pietro, y' don' disappoint." Scratching the stubble on his chin, he got up, stretching as he did so, to lean against the tree. Taking the scarf, he pressed it to his nose, enjoying the smell of her, rather lecherously. It felt nice to kiss her, even though there had to be a veil between them, and he rested there for a moment, remembering. Yeah, he had to do that again. 

~~~~~~~ 

I was on the verge of Remy starting to think he might have feelings, but I searched through my memory and couldn't quite pull up any reason for it. Rogue needs to really fall for him first. At least he enjoyed kissing her. It's a start. Man, Remy's wreaking havoc on Pietro/Rogue's relationship. Heh, Pietro ain't gonna be too happy when he next sees her. I think next chapter is gonna be a Pietro thought one, like my last one with Rogue. Remy hasn't really had one, mainly because his thoughts are fairly simple, in terms of this. Nothing complex, or particularly special. When he starts fallin, then there'll be a slew. 

Muha, that's funny. I almost converted Queondapio to the Rietroness and this is a Romy. Heheheheh. 

Oh, and I've also had a comment that Rogue should be more dominant, more tough girl. And yes, while that is true in the comic... I still see her as an unsure, lonely, angsty type girl in evo. Which is what I've tried to characterize here. She's not completely weak, but she hasn't really developed into the attitude she had in the comic. 

Lol, cool beans. Dude, I bet it'll be a cold day in hell when ishandahalf leaves a review without that trademark phrase. 

:) 

Rielyn 


	13. Taste of Victory

Touching

Disclaimer: X-Men Evolution is not mine. 

~~~~~~~ 

Rogue ran, fleeing the school, fleeing Remy and fleeing Pietro; fleeing everything until she couldn't bring a foot in front of the other any longer, slumping against a brick wall in a secluded alleyway. How could she have done that? How could she have betrayed Pietro like that? She had totally disregarded his warning and kissed Remy, adding to the pain she had already inflicted the previous day, no doubt. She dropped her bag to clutch at her forehead, crumpling down until her shoulders were even with her knees, not caring how filthy the pavement beneath her was. And Pietro was being so understanding, unlike the obnoxious and arrogant fool he usually played. He would surely go back to being that now; she lost him and it was all her fault. She clenched her fists in her hair, tangling red and white strands between her fingers. Damnit. She bit down hard on her lip, wanting to cry, but refusing to, her eyes staring hard at the ground between her feet. Damn it all. She wanted to scream, and so she did, her shrill voice piercing the area immediately near her, but it did not make her feel any better. 

"Pietro, Ah'm sorry," she whispered, closing her eyes. She wanted to say more to the fictional Pietro she spoke to, but she couldn't. It hurt too much, everything hurt too much. She didn't even want to think anymore. And so she lay there as if comatose, barely showing any movement, even to breathe. 

Remy approached cautiously, although he made his footsteps known to her. She didn't react. "Chere...?" he ventured, his voice hushed. He had trailed her soon after she had rushed off. The feelings and emotions he had evoked in her were still hot, and it was a prime time to solidify her as his. 

A moment of silence hovered between them. "Go away, Remy." She didn't open her eyes, nor did she make any movement towards him. "Ah don' want ta see ya." 

"Y' can', chere, y' be closin' y' eyes." She hissed venomously at him and he sighed, moving to kneel by her. "Remy sorry. Dis be no time f' jokin'." He was met with silence. "Chere forgot her present." He smiled hopefully, presenting the green scarf though she didn't look up to see it. 

"Ah don' want it! Go away!" She moved then, getting up to walk away from him. 

"Rogue, what happened?" His voice sounded sincerely pained and confused, and she hesitated. "I don' understand... What did I do?" 

"Ya ruined everythin', that's what ya did," she murmured as a tremble ran through her frame. "You're messin' up mah lahfe worse then it already is." 

"I never meant t', Rogue." He got up and lifted a hand to brush against her arm, but when her shoulder stiffened he quickly drew it back again. "I didn' mean t' ruin anyt'ing. I didn' know I was hurtin' y', chere, really. I'm sorry." 

"Yeah? Well, too late for sorries," she muttered sorely, glaring angrily at the space in front of her. 

"Mais, what did I do dat ruined y' life so much?" She turned her gaze towards him then, the fury that raged in her emerald eyes startling, and even impressing, Remy. He unconsciously backed up slightly, away from her. 

"Ya have ta ask? Ya manipulated meh, Remy!" Her eyes narrowed as her body whirled towards him, leaning forward threateningly. "Ah know what games men lahke you lahke ta play, an'-" 

"Wait, chere, what games? Remy don' play games." 

She shoved him violently on his chest, causing him to fall backwards. "Don' ya play innocent. It's so obvious. Ya can read it in how ya hold yahself, how ya talk, how ya look at girls. Love is nothin' but a game ta you." 

"No, chere-" 

"Shut up!" She shoved him again, advancing. "An' then Ah had ta go an' fall for it, for yer tricks! Ya made meh believe in ya!" She scowled and pushed him back even further. "An' ta make thing's worse, ya made me hurt Pietro!" She shook her head, disgust written all over her face, though it was more for herself than the cajun in front of her. Her mouth contorted with hatred and anger, her voice shrill and dripping with venom as she screamed, "Ah hate you!" And she lifted her hand to slap him, but he caught her wrist, piercing her eyes with his own. 

"Mais Remy loves y'," he murmured intensely, yet with a hint of a plea in his voice. "Je t'aime, ma cherie." 

Rogue took in a sharp breath, the anger flickering into shock and then back again. "Ah don' believe ya. You're playin' with meh again." But her arm began to go weak in his grasp. 

"I never played wit' y', chere. Y' be diff'rent from de ot'ers, I saw it from de very first time I saw y'." 

"Stop it, Remy. Stop it, Ah know yah're lyin', go away!" She struggled, almost crumpling in distress but he caught her other wrist and pulled her closer. 

"No, chere, I not be lyin' t' y'. What Remy say be de trut'. I'm sorry dat my past ain' too savory, I admit dat, an' I regret it all now, but, chere, please believe me." 

She tore her eyes away from his, weakly continuing to fight him. "No.." 

"Please, chere, jus' give Remy a chance." 

"Pietro warned meh about ya, Remy," she stated, vainly trying to reason herself free. "He said that he saw yah do it all before, an' Ah was no diff'rent. He tol' meh ya were jus' gonna hurt meh in th' end." 

"Pietro don' know not'ing 'bout Remy, chere. On'y what he see, an' looks can be deceivin', n'est-ce pas?" 

"But he-" 

He pulled her closer suddenly until she was pressed up against him, his face unbelieveably close to hers. "Chere, what will make y' believe Remy?" He lifted his gloved hand to caress her cheek, his eyes looking down to watch the motion, and they lit up as if an idea struck him. "How 'bout a kiss, chere, t' prove m'self. No scarf, not'ing." She started to speak, trying to pull away, but he interrupted her. "Y' would absorb Remy, he knows. But y' would know everyt'ing, y' would know how he feel." 

"Remy..." She swallowed. "Yah could get hurt, or worse." 

"I would do it f' y', chere." He waited for a moment, but when she did not reply, he took the initiative and began tilting his head down towards hers. 

Rogue's face crumpled and she tore herself free. "No!" She shook her head, drawing away from him fearfully. "No, Ah don' wan' ta hurt ya, Remy." 

"Mais, chere, I have t' make y' believe me. I can' live knowin' dat y' hate my very existance, dat y' don' believe me when I say how I feel f' y'." 

"Ah don' hate ya, Remy," she whispered, her arms wrapping around her body as if to shield herself from a chill. "Ah jus'... Ah jus'..." She could barely finish her sentence. Pietro flashed in her mind briefly, but Remy stood there in front of her. And she wanted him, just like before. "Ah.. Ah wan' ta be with ya too... but..." She hesitated, lifting her hands in a sort of shrug. "Ah don' know.. Ah jus' don' know..." 

They stood there for a moment silently until Remy stepped up to her, lifting a hand to brush through her mussed hair. He held his hand there, the heat flowing from his gloved palm to warm her cheek, the warmth questioning her gently as if asking her permission. And she let out a soft sigh, closing her eyes and giving in, turning her head to press her face gently into his caress. He pulled her into a warm embrace, pressing his face into her hair. 

"Je t'aime, ma cherie. An' Remy mean it wit' everyt'ing he got." Rogue slipped her arms around his waist instead of replying, letting herself go, releasing her anxieties in favor of basking in the warmth of his body. She was just giving him a chance, that was all. Not like she declared love for him back, it was too soon after all, at least for her. But then guilt rose in her chest. She tried to push it away but still, the enormity of her decision weighed down on her. She was giving him a chance to be with her. A chance that Pietro never got. As if sensing how she felt, Remy held her closer, stroking his hands comfortingly, yet sensually, over the small of her back, and her thoughts gave way. She relaxed, letting herself mold into his body, letting herself enjoy the sensations, letting it all go. For now. 

Remy, on the other hand, was very pleased with himself. So pleased he wanted to bow regally for his performance and had to practice some restraint. She didn't love him yet, but he got a chance now to prove himself 'worthy'. She was as good as his. Bye-bye Pietro. He slipped his hand into his trenchcoat pocket and fished out the scarf, pulling back from Rogue a bit. When she saw the green piece of material, her eyes flickered up to his questioningly, and he smiled in return, shaking his head once. 

"No, chere, I didn' bring it out f' dat. I mean, I won' complain', but I won' rush y' eit'er. Remy jus' t'ought, or rat'er hope, y' would take it an' wear it now." He held it out to her and she took it, fingering it slightly. The memory of his lips on hers ran through her mind as she examined the scarf and she shivered at the recalled passion. Suddenly, she wanted to have that moment back. She turned to Remy, grabbing his face with the scarf draped between her hands, forming a shield around his mouth, and she kissed him passionately. His eyes widened in surprise for only a few seconds until he started responding, slipping his hands to her hips as he pressed her back against the wall. The girl still had some surprises up her sleeve, it seemed. Feisty. 

He liked it. 

~~~~~~~ 

And so starts Remy/Rogue's relationship. Je t'aime means I love you. And yes, he's just throwin' the words around to get his way. Now I can start having Remy really fall in love with her. Heh, he wasn't actually gonna kiss her without the scarf, he was bluffin'. I just wanted Rogue and Remy to kiss again. Hey, I'm human, and a Romy fan... have to satisfy myself too sometimes. I'll explain it as she's taking the moment to let it all go, relax, forget all her trouble for the moment, enjoy it while she can. 

Hmm, apparently Remy being so asshole-y is making his scenes with Rogue taste a bit sour *coughcoughIsandahalfcoughcough* but I'll make up for it later. So, cool beans anyway. 

Also got a comment about how ooc Pietro is. Eh, hardly a brutal comment. Bound to happen. Remy and Rogue are characters that seem made for this kinda drama, comic or cartoon. Now, given that in the evo cartoon, Remy's character isn't quite, how can I put this, that developed just yet, I don't think I need to explain why their characters are made for love troubles, but if I do need to just ask and I'll go on a rant about that. As it is, it's 4 am and I'm feeling particularly lazy on ranting. Anyhow. I don't really know Pietro too well in terms of original cartoon (I don't even think he was there), or comic. And in evo, he seems fairly flat as a character. Arrogant, blah. Obnoxious, blah. Cocky, blah. Though, admittedly, he kinda grows on you. And then you have to infer the issues he has. Family wise, his father and Wanda... enough said. He's caught in between! And he's always caught in between his father and something. Like, in father vs. brotherhood, he chose father of course, and though personally, I'd like to believe he had a hard time betraying his friends, the cartoon hardly portrayed that if at all. So basically, he just seems arrogant, obnoxious, cocky, and evil. I mean, at least Magneto thinks he's doing what's best. Pietro doesn't seem to have much meaning other than to be an annoyance. So, I'm taking the liberty to give him some sort of meaning. The problem is, I only write about him whenever Rogue's involved, or nearby. This is a Romy, not a Rietro. While his emotions on the subject are important, as this also is a triangle, in a ways, I don't want to focus too much on him. Obviously his emotions on the subject are gonna seem ooc. And how he acts with Rogue are gonna seem ooc. I didn't think chapter 5 was that bad though, but anyways. I digress. Have I written any about Pietro interacting with anybody else but Rogue, yet? No, I left it out. Unimportant. At least in comparison. 

... And I lost my train of thought. Did I mention how late it is? I like writing late at night, even though my vocabulary is impaired. Not to mention my typing. But I tend to digress more. I don't think I even explained it well at all. 

Bah. I'm the writer, I take the liberty of not having to. :) 

Rielyn 


	14. Appearances

Touching

Disclaimer: X-Men Evolution is not mine. 

~~~~~~~ 

Pietro wasn't in class the next morning, much to Rogue's dismay, and relief. She wasn't looking forward to seeing him, much less talk to him, after what he had witnessed the previous day. Not to mention that she and Remy were sort of going out now. Still, she felt obligated to talk to Pietro, to make sure that he was okay, and if not, that he would be okay. She was just grateful that she wouldn't have to do it today. 

Remy sauntered in, his gaze immediately seeking hers, and it displeased his fan club greatly when he passed his usual seat to sit beside her. Admittedly, she felt a bit of triumph over her tormentors, but it was overshadowed by her guilt towards Pietro. 

"Mornin', cherie." Remy grinned, taking her hand and pressing his lips to the gloved knuckles. She smiled thinly at him, withdrawing her hand and focusing on her desk, fingering the green scarf that she wore loosely around her neck. 

"That's Pietro's seat, Remy." 

He leaned back in the seat, arching an eyebrow. "He ain' here, an' Remy don' see no nametag." He turned his head away to give her a side-long glance and she shrank slightly. "Dat's a way t' greet me. Talkin' 'bout anot'er man, dat y' appar'ntly want t' sit beside, 'stead of me." 

Rogue sighed. "Ah'm sorry. It's jus' that... Ah hurt Pietro, Remy. Ah mean, he... Well, it don' matter," she finished quickly, deciding not to talk about how Pietro felt. 

"Pietro is a big boy, chere. He can take care o' himself." 

"Ya shoulda seen the look on his face, Remy. An' it was all 'cause o' me." Her green eyes flickered up to his expressively. "An' you. Though 'course, he was mah friend, not yoahs." She looked back down to her desk. "We shouldn' have-" 

"Chere, y' run y' own life, not Pietro. Don' y' regret none 'cause he don' approve. He has no right t' make y' feel like dat." He tilted his head, reaching out to brush his fingers through her hair. "If y' ask me, he de one who be doin' wrong. He's hurtin' y', chere. He's tryin' t' control y', but y' aren' even his." 

She didn't meet his gaze for a few moments, pensive. Remy was right. Who did Pietro think he was, to try to govern her every action? She could think for herself, and she needed no protection. And she definitely didn't need anyone trying to control her. Pietro was the liar and manipulator here; acting sweet and concerned for her, just to pit her against Remy. Her jaw hardened, the memories of the speed demon's grin pushed out of her mind. She lifted her chin to give Remy a small smile. 

She was about to speak when Taryn stepped between them, drawing his eyes up, and over her body, to hers. "Hey, Remy, we miss you," she purred, giving him an enticing look as she placed a hand on her hip. "Why are you all the way over here?" Rogue stiffened, clenching her fists and suddenly feeling vulnerable. In giving Remy a chance to be with her, she also gave him a chance to hurt her terribly, by taking up with another girl. It was not like it was official or anything, so far. Not yet. He had no real obligation to stay. Fear held her tongue and gripped her heart; what if she lost him? Then everything would be messed up for no reason. Life would be so much more a hell for her. 

"Remy would t'ink dat de answer would be obvious." He arched an eyebrow up at the girl standing between them, causing her to falter. A small but visible wave of relief washed over Rogue, though she still listened carefully to their conversation. 

"You mean, her?" Taryn stepped to the side and gestured towards Rogue, who was narrowing her eyes dangerously. "You must be kidding me." 

"Et pourquoi?" Taryn knit her brows in confusion, clearly not understanding. Remy smiled, his eyes flickering down to Rogue's mischievously. He began speaking to Taryn in an intimate tone of voice, as if in praise to her. "Elle est plus belle que tu peux essayer d'être." He smirked, though his voice continued in a soothing and seductive tone. "Et plus intelligente. Vois, tu parais un pêche avec ta bouche qui ouvre et ferme encore et encore." 

Taryn flipped her hair and smiled triumphantly at Rogue, who snorted and began laughing hysterically. A little put off, Taryn turned back towards Remy, her eyes narrowed suspiciously. "What?" 

Remy smiled, waving his hand dismissively. "Not'ing, chere. Inside joke. Jus' go back t' y' seat." 

Taryn pouted, taking his hand and tickling it gently with hers. "You're going to come with me, right?" She leaned in close to him until her nose just barely brushed against his and walked her fingers along his collar bone, her eyes following her hand. "I'll make it worthwhile..." Her eyes flickered back up to his as she smiled suggestively. Rogue sobered, her mirth gone. Taryn could touch him. Something Rogue would never be able to do. So what did she have that could possibly convince him to stay? He had his needs, after all, and she would never be able to satisfy them. Even if she wanted to, she added as an afterthought. He wasn't getting anything until she was good and ready. She frowned at her train of thought. That would never happen, of course, so there was no point in thinking about that. She would have to hold out indefinitely, because of her powers. And in the meanwhile, Taryn, or any equivalent hussy who could give him what he needed, would tempt him. Rogue had no chance. 

Remy felt the sudden funk that Rogue was sinking into and he shoved Taryn away rather forcefully, evoking an indignant squawk from her as she stumbled to keep her balance. He looked up at her, his face emotionless and showing no desire for her. "I'm not int'rested." 

Taryn stared at him for a moment, shocked and insulted. After a beat, her face contorted into a sneer. "No? You'd rather have her?" Her lip curled with disgust as she tilted to gesture towards Rogue. "You don't know what you're getting into." She grinned sardonically, as if about to spread a vicious secret. "She's a mutie," she hissed, her eyes lighting up victoriously. But the response was not exactly what she expected. 

Remy stood up suddenly, causing Taryn to take a hesitant step backwards. He stared at her for a moment, his eyes cold and calculating, but she met them with a defiant smirk. He chuckled then, lowering his gaze as if to look her over appraisingly. 

Taryn posed, jutting her chest out towards him. "What's so funny?" She smiled coyly as she reached a hand out for his. He looked at it for a moment before opting to reach up and take her face in his hand, running his thumb gently over her lips. 

"Well, chere, de funny t'ing is that..." He leaned in close, much like she had done earlier, his eyes focused on hers. Suddenly, their color shimmered slightly and faded, brown to red, white to black; and Taryn found herself looking up into a pair of demon eyes. "I'm one too." Taryn broke away with a gasp, staring at him unbelievingly. It was when Remy winked at her and blew her a kiss that she finally huffed, spinning around with a flip of her hair, and stormed back to her chair. His eyes returned to the disguised brown as he returned to his seat, his hand moving away from his image inducer. 

"They're gonna hate ya now," Rogue murmured, speaking up for the first time since Taryn approached, her voice nonchalant though she stared at him. So that was why he looked different that second time she met him. When they met for the first time, on the battlefield, he had disguised his peculiar eye color, like he was doing now. But then there was that time when she had encountered him at school, before he enrolled, and she had noticed that there was something different, but she could not quite place what. Now she realized that it was his eyes. Red irises on black. Demonic. While they did not frighten her or throw her off-balance, they did intrigue her. She decided she liked them. 

"I don' particularly care, ma belle fille." He grinned winningly at her. "Pendant que tu m'aimes." 

Rogue smirked, rolling her eyes. "Ah nevah said that Ah loved ya, swamp rat." 

"Oui, mais y' like Remy, an' dat's a start." 

"An' when did Ah say that Ah lahked ya?" 

"Oh, chere, y' be so cruel t' Remy." He leaned forward and touched his fingers to her neck through the scarf. "Mebbe he need t' give y' anot'er kiss t' melt dat icy heart o' y's." Rogue felt the blood rush to her face and she turned away. 

"No," she said faintly, a tinge of sorrow in her voice. 

Remy tilted his head, hearing her tone. "No?" He reached forward once more, this time to touch her shoulder reassuringly. "Dat's okay, chere. I ain' gon' t' rush y', like I told y' before." 

"It ain' that, Remy." Sighing, she shrugged his hand off of her shoulder. "Jus' forget it." 

"Forget what, chere?" 

She turned to eye him, a trace of fiery frustration becoming apparent in her voice. "Kissin' meh, touchin' meh, whatevah. Ya got th' picture, swamp rat?" 

"I can' do dat, chere." He grinned. "Y're too soft an' y' taste too good." 

"Oh, get off it!" she snapped harshly. "It ain' real an' ya know it. An' it'll nevah be real." Her green eyes darkened. "Once ya realize that-" 

"Remy will still love y' jus' as much," he finished. "Chere, y' don' need t' touch t' be able t' feel." As if to prove his point, he took her hand gently and pressed his lips to her gloved palm, his eyes fixated on hers meaningfully. 

She shook her head slightly. "Ah don' understand..." she breathed, perplexed. At that moment, movement at the head of the classroom caught their attention; the teacher had arrived. Remy smiled at Rogue, patting her hand before releasing his hold. 

"Remy will show y' later, chere," he whispered. "Meet me aft' school, by the gym again." 

Rogue nodded almost imperceptibly, clutching her hand, still warm from his touch, to her body, as if trying to transfer its heat to her chest. She did not understand. How could she feel him without being able to touch? She would never feel the bristle of his goatee, never feel the individual strands of his auburn hair, never be able to press her face into his neck. So, just what was Remy getting at? She snuck a glance at his profile. Maybe it was just that she did not understand Remy himself. Even just sitting there watching the teacher he looked so self-assured, and he always projected a devil-may-care attitude. Yet he hid, like Kurt, behind his image inducer. Although, chances were that it would be easier for him to adjust to school if he pretended to be normal, and not openly mutant. 

Then she remembered about how he had dazed her on the battlefield, charmed her while they were pitted against eachother, and somehow she thought that he did not need the image inducer to charm his way through school. 

~~~~~~~ 

It took me a bit longer to churn this one out, particularly because I don't really know what I want to happen exactly. I mean, I tend to end up just typing, without a plan. But now I get on the computer, put my fingers on the keyboard, and stare at the screen, thinking, 'errrr...' As a result, awkward writing. That's okay. Once I finish every chapter, I'm going to go back and revise it. 

Updates are going to come around a bit more slowly, now that summer school has started. Though then again, I did write a good portion of this story while I was sitting there in class. :-P And as a disclaimer, it's not that I failed my classes, I'm double majoring. Summer school will just make my four years easier on me. I want to enjoy my four years, man! 

My lingo is outdated? Wow. Make me feel all old. I don't understand how though. What? U want me 2 typ lyk dis or sumthin? Dat wat u mean? Yo yo yo, am I down wit da tymes? Dis is whack, yo! Lol!!!!111 

.... Riiiiight. 

If so, get used to disappointment. I hate people who type like that. But chances are that's not what was meant, so enlighten me, plz. ;) 

What else, what else. Hmm. Do review, I like having gotten past the hundred reviews mark, but like all greedy authors, I want more! Heh. Thanks though for the support. Otherwise I would have lost interest a long time ago. A long time ago being like yesterday or so. I haven't been writing this that long. :) 

Rielyn 


	15. Falling In Deep

Touching

Disclaimer: X-Men Evolution is not mine. 

~~~~~~~ 

Rogue tapped her foot impatiently, her arms folded over her chest. For such a ladies' man, Remy sure liked to keep HER waiting. He must have something planned. Or just planning to make a dramatic entrance. She still did not know him that well, but she did know that the cajun had a thing for flair. She looked perturbedly down at her watch; she had been standing there for a good thirty minutes now. Whatever that swamp rat was planning, he better come up with it soon. She was not going to wait forever. 

Fifteen more minutes passed by and she threw her hands up resignedly, shouldering her bag and turning to leave. Suddenly, a hand grabbed hers and jerked her back, spinning her off-balance and into his arms. "Leavin' so soon, cherie?" 

And dramatic entrance it was. "Soon?" Rogue scowled at his grin, shoving him away after regaining her balance. "Yah're late, swamp rat. By at least forty-five minutes." 

"Mais good t'ings come t' dose who wait, non?" 

She scoffed. "If the 'thing' is you, Ah'd rather not have wasted mah tahme." She wrinkled her nose and turned her head away snobbishly. "Ah don' even think Ah'm interested anymore in what ya have ta say." 

Remy smirked, stepping nearer to envelop her in his arms as his voice dropped to a lower, huskier tone. "Den Remy will talk none, chere. An' on'y show y' his meanin'." 

Rogue flushed, pulling herself away. "Alright, alright, enough games, cajun. What's th' plan?" Remy extended his hand invitingly towards her, grinning. 

"Jus' trus' Remy." 

***** 

Minutes later found Rogue hooded and cloaked, clinging close to Remy on his motorcycle. To her dismay, she found that the hood prevented her from viewing the passing scenery or enjoying the wind that whipped her hair about delightfully the last time. Of course, he had made her promise not to remove the hood, so she was getting bored. Especially since the howling of the wind and the thunder of the motor beneath them drowned out any possibility of a conversation between them. As a result, she was left to her thoughts. If it weren't for the noise and the vibration of the motorcycle, she might as well have still been standing by the school gym, waiting for Remy. 

She had to admit though, through his persistence and charm, the cajun had found a soft spot in her heart. She did not love him; of course not, she was sure. But she did feel warm towards him. After all, he was being so sweet to her. Her fingers adjusted a bit where they lay, holding him around his waist, and she could feel the tense, hard muscles of his stomach. A small smile formed on her lips. It did not hurt that he was very well-built either. It was not like she was blind; she saw clearly why she caught jealous stares whenever Remy paid attention to her. He was devilishly gorgeous. And he was hers. Rogue blinked, the thought surprising her for a moment. Well, at least for now. Obviously, her skin would drive him away eventually, if nothing else. She sighed, pursing her lips. Her power was such a serious downer. 

Remy felt Rogue's emotions go bitter and he sighed inaudibly. The girl should never be left to her thoughts for very long. As he turned finally to his destination, he vaguely wondered what was so bad that kept bringing her down. The girl really was much darker than she seemed. And here he thought that he was just going after the ultimate virgin. He chuckled softly to himself; a sound Rogue could not hear through the wind and rumble. She did put up an admirable front, though. He almost respected her for it. 

He parked the motorcycle, agilely climbing off and lifting Rogue into his arms before she had a chance to get up. "Hey! Ah have mah own legs, ya know." 

"Oui, mais y' have y' own eyes too, an' Remy wan' t' keep t'ings a secret f' now." He cuddled her close to his chest as he began to stride forward. "Plus, dis ain' dat bad, now is it?" Rogue blushed and averted her gaze, playing with her fingers instead of responding. He smirked, lifting his chin. "Now, jus' relax, petite. Leave everyt'ing t' Remy." From what Rogue could see, they were walking along some sort of path through foliage thick enough to hide the way. Yet she did not feel buffered by branches or anything. Clearly the cajun knew his way. She could hear a muffled roar that got louder as they progressed, but she could not quite distinguish what it was. 

After a few minutes, the foliage cleared and Remy made sure that her hood was still up when he set her down, quickly moving in front of her. He knelt to look up under the hood and reached up to hold her face gently. "I can' wait t' see de look in y' beautiful green eyes, chere..." She furrowed her brow in confusion. 

"What..?" Her eyes flickered back and forth though the hood efficiently cloaked her view. "Can Ah see yet?" she asked impatiently. The muffled roar was quite distinct now. 

Remy grinned and nodded, moving back slightly. "Be m' guest, cherie." Her jaw went slack slightly as she lowered her hood, her eyes widening. In the center of the clearing rested a blue-green lagoon, stirred gently by a waterfall, the source of the roar. The water poured broadly down from an overhanging cliff and smooth boulders, glistening with moisture, framed the body of water. Several butterflies sat there sunning themselves. Rogue found herself taking a step towards the pool, looking down into the crystal clear waters that lapped gently onto the bank. 

"It's beautiful..." 

"An' de water's fine." Rogue lifted her chin towards the voice. Remy had waded into the pool, having discarded his trenchcoat and loose belongings to the side, and the surface of the water brushed him just below his knee. He held his hand towards her with a beckoning nod. "Come on, chere." 

Rogue folded her arms across her chest, giving him an obstinate look. "Ya cain't be serious. What about mah clothes?" 

"Y' welcome t' discard dem if dat's what y' want..." He grinned at her. She scowled at him in reply and he chuckled. "Come on, petite. What's it gon' t' hurt?" 

"Ah ain' gonna ruin mah clo- hey!" she shouted indignantly as Remy started to splash water at her. 

"Never took y' t' be so uptight, chere," he teased. She backed away from him to avoid the stray drops of water. 

"Oh, no ya don'. Ah ain' gonna be persuaded to join ya jus' cause ya called me 'uptight'. Ya already used that one on meh." She stuck her tongue out at him. "An' it ain' gonna work twice. Ah ain' gonna ruin mah clothes. Ah mean, what are the others gonna think if Ah show up all drenched an' mah clothes ruined? No, Ah know bettah than that." 

Remy frowned at her. "Oh, y' know, y' actin' like dat Jean Grey fille, all righteous and goodie-goodie." 

Rogue blinked in surprise. "Oh, no, ya did not jus' say that!" 

"What?" He gave her an innocent look. "Y're lecturin' an' rantin' jus' like her." 

"Alright, that does it." In one movement, she flung off the hooded cloak and launched herself at the cajun with a yell. He laughed as he caught her, but the momentum took them both down. "Ah am nothin' lahke Jean!" Rogue righted herself, scrambling to hold his head under water but he easily overpowered her, pushing deeper into the lagoon. She squealed as she struggled with him, but he just slipped his arms around her and brought her underwater with him. She wriggled out of his grasp, spluttering as she resurfaced, the water level going just below her chest, and moving to put some distance between them. After pushing her drenched locks out of her face, she readied herself to splash a wave of water towards the cajun when he emerged. However, he didn't. Rogue waited a few moments more until she began to feel alarmed. "Remy..?" A feeling of dread grew in the pit of her stomach; maybe he accidentally touched her. Was he unconscious, drowning somewhere underneath the waters of the lagoon? She had not felt him touch her, nor did she feel the rush of foreign memories that normally accompanied a skin-to-skin encounter. He couldn't have touched her; she would know if he had. But then, what if he had and was out, taking in water into his lungs? What if he died right there? She began to search frantically, her voice taking a panicked tone. "Remy? Remy, where are ya?!" 

She was standing by the waterfall, her hopes of finding him alive dashed, when a hand grabbed her arm and pulled her through the rushing waters. She found herself in waist-deep water, being held in Remy's arms, but before she was able to let her anger lash out, she had to stare. They were in a cove, sheltered underneath the cliff and hidden by the waterfall. Drops of water trickled down from the ceiling, and sunlight reflected from the waterfall danced along the marble-esque walls. The blue-green water itself seemed to glow, warm due to the insulation of the rock walls and the waterfall. 

Her anger dissipated even as she returned her gaze to the man who held her, her reprimand dying in her throat. He had turned off his image inducer; his red on black eyes were staring at her with an intensity that beckoned, yet repelled her, at the same time. His mouth twitched into a smile as he reached up to take her face with a gloved hand, gently rubbing the remainder of her make-up away. His fingers lingered on her full pink lips. 

"Y' really are beautiful, petite," he whispered, and he realized he meant it. Without the distracting shades of heavy make-up, her emerald eyes brightly reflected the light from the fluorescent water, yet they were also lit with her own inner fire. Her wet clothes clung to her shapely form, and though her hair was wet and matted to her head, she looked absolutely breath-taking. If he could, he would have taken her right then and there. For the first time, he mentally cursed her powers; he was beginning to understand her frustration. 

Rogue blushed at the compliment, but could not turn her head away. His water-soaked shirt clung tightly to his torso, showing off his broad shoulders and toned chest. Her mind vaguely wondered what he looked like without it, and her hand reached up to shyly brush her fingers across his stomach. Her eyes flickered up to his again, meeting that devilishly handsome gaze. She shivered, though she was not cold, and reached up to finger the scarf that he had given her, but found that it was not there. She broke away from him, her face becoming anxious and searching. "Remy, Ah lost-" She cut off when Remy silently produced the missing piece of fabric with a smile; he had taken it earlier, when they had tussled. In one smooth movement, he placed the wet scarf over her mouth and pressed his lips passionately to hers. She tentatively ran her hand over his chest, blushing at the heat that was his body, and returned the kiss. He broke the kiss only to resume a moment later, pushing her back against the wall and pinning her there. She felt his body pressed up against hers and she murmured pleasurably at the sensations into his mouth. He broke off a second time and she almost whimpered, wanting him back. 

"D' y' see, chere?" 

She peered at him bewilderedly. "See what?" 

"What Remy mean. D' y' feel it?" 

"Well, yea, Remy, but it's through th' scarf... not that it doesn' feel good..." she added, flushing. He quirked a small smile as he continued. 

"Mais non, dat's not what I meant. D' y' FEEL it?" He reached up to caress her face with his gloved hand but she looked at him uncomprehendingly. "Close y' eyes, chere." She did as she was told and he leaned forward, replacing the scarf, to kiss her slowly. He pulled back again a moment later. "Don' y' feel how Remy feel 'bout y', petite?" She opened her eyes slowly to look at him. His face was so sincere. Yes, she had felt it, the emotion in that kiss. 

"Yeah..." 

"Whether y' touch or not, it doesn' matter, petite." He held her face in his hands. "Y' can still feel me. Y' still feel de emotions an' dat's all dat matters." 

Rogue's eyes began to brim with tears and she leaned forward to press her face into his chest. Her fingers clutched at the hem of his shirt, holding him as if afraid he was going to disappear on her. She loved him at that very moment. 

Remy smiled down at the auburn and white tousle of hair and slipped his arms around her shoulders. It was all just a line, but at least it made her happy, and Remy preferred it when Rogue was happy rather than depressed. She was much more lively that way. The girl was attractive, he had to give her that, especially when she smiled. And so expressive. It amazed him to pull back the cover she hid under, and find such a slew of emotions. It affected him too; he was feeling emotions that he did not realize could be so versatile. Happiness was not just a feeling of contentment and pride, it was also joy, uplifting brightness, freedom, relief. And that still did not fully describe it. There was more to her than he thought, and he found he wanted to find out everything about her. Call it, curiousity. 

***** 

They lay on the bank, watching the waterfall, Remy shirtless and trying to convince Rogue to do the same. To no avail. She had removed her outer shirt, leaving her tank-top in place, and it lay drying next to Remy's. 

"Mais, chere, y' soakin'. Y' clothes are never gon' t' dry dat way." 

"Yea, well, not lahke Ah can remove mah pants neither, an' they're jus' as wet." 

"Remy wouldn' mind if y' take y' pants off. An' why stop dere?" 

Rogue stuck her tongue out at him. "No thank ya, swamp rat. Ah ain' gonna let ya ogle me. Ah took mah top shirt off, an' that's all that's comin' off." 

"Ah, y' no fun, cherie." 

They fell into a casual conversation, Remy rolling onto his side to look at her, being sure to keep enough distance so that she would not accidently gain another personality in her mind. They talked about a variety of things, save for the her powers, X-Men and Acolyte secrets, and his employment. However, gossip about individuals were not sacred. There were some Jean bashing, jokes about Kitty, stories about St. John aka Pyro, and soon the two of them were laughing, enjoying eachother's company. Every now and then Remy would give her a line and she would quip a playful retort right after. They both began to ease up around each other. 

Soon enough, however, the sunlight began to fade on the duo. "Mm, Remy, Ah think Ah need ta be headed back home soon. They don' know where Ah am, an' knowin' them they might even send out a search party. For jus' one aft'noon, even." 

"As y' wish, cherie. Dough Remy was enjoyin' himself." He handed her the cloak that she donned earlier as he put on his trenchcoat. "Y' ought t' wear this f' de ride back. Y' still wet, an' de wind'll make y' shiver." Rogue obliged, smiling warmly up at the cajun who took her hand. He started to lead her through the forest, back to where he had left his bike, when she hesitated. 

"Remy..?" He turned to face her, a questioning look in his eyes. She was smiling shyly up at him while playing idly with her scarf. "Thank you. For showin' meh what Ah've been missin'." Remy just stared at her for a moment before he smiled and nodded in acknowledgement of her thanks. Turning back to the path, she followed him willingly this time, but he could not help but think how she would be doing anything but thank him later. 

Inevitably, he was going to hurt her. She would hate him, and probably worse off than how he found her. Gone would be her happiness, her genuine smiles, her laugh. And he had grown to like her contentment, which was so different from her usual aloof depression. 

For another first, second of the day, he regretted that he was good; he was too good at the game of seduction he played. 

~~~~~~~ 

Good frickin' god, that took forever. Remy is falling.. falling.. falling... She'll have him soon enough. See, isandahalf, see? He's getting better! So, good thing you didn't kick him in the teeth. I'd have a not-as-attractive-cause-of-the-swollen-mouth-and-jaw Remy to work with, and that's no fun. Remy's supposed to be HOT! This story is going to be long-ish. I mean, she IS going to find out, there IS going to be a fall-out. Pietro's part isn't over. And then I have to work out how Rogue gets back with Remy in the end. I'm thinking there's gonna be an action scene somewhere in there. Wow, and I'm a drama/romance writer, dealing with the heady stuff, not Pow! or Bam, he falls to the floor type stuff. Goes too fast for me. Eh, it'll be a nice change of pace. But let's not count chickens before they hatch, have to get to that point first. This is fifteen chapters, and only now are they becoming close. Just two dates. Two dates in fifteen chapters! Come on, Remy, you're better than that. Course, fifteen chapters is like three days or so? Damn. 

School is a biter, in terms of getting this fic written. Otherwise, the teachers are nice enough, and the three hours I sit there 'paying attention' (I tend to get part of these chapters written while I sit there) go by pretty quickly. How long has it been since my last update? Wah! Too long! I have a short attention span, I need to get these up and out in like a day or so. I'd stare at the stuff I have uploaded and I'd be like, come on, write, damnit. Come on, update. Just appear out of nowhere. I want to know what happens next! Course, as I'm the writer, what happens next is kinda my responsibility. Blower. Oh well, I'll just go on a power trip. Muhaha, Remy/Rogue/Pietro are under my control! Cower! 

I think summer school is getting to me. Why did I ever decide to sign up? Not like I failed any classes, just decided I wanted to get ahead. Course, is it worth my summer? Waaah... Ok, I exaggerate. I actually don't mind these classes, nor the half an hour walk I have to take to get from my class to my parking lot. Both my classes, I have one a day btw, mon-thurs, are in this one building. And the frickin' parking services decide to assign me the lot all the way across campus. But the walk isn't as bad as I thought it would be. And I'm gonna get exercise! 

So, I digress. 

I'm cut? What? I'm confused... Man, how old are you people? You make me feel all old and I've just finished my first year of college! My little sister, she's a freshman, soon to be sophomore in highschool, and she does the ur so kewl stuff. I don't hear no you're cut! Waaaaah... 

You know, it drives me crazy that I can't get back to my commentors in like the day after they comment. I sit here, reading them, and I'm like, oh, I'm going to say this in response! But, of course I don't have the chapter finished so... boooooooo... 

Next chapter is going to be basically all Pietro. It won't be too long. Just a sort of 'meanwhile...' His part is far from over. Though for a bit, he's got the backseat to the major going-ons, ie Rogue/Remy developing their relationship. See, now it's clearer that it's a Romy, whereas earlier, I apparently was doing some brainwashing and getting people to feel sorry for Pietro and hate Remy for being so evil/asshole-y. Muha. I love that! I mean, I guess parts of this can/will be considered Rietro... but ultimately, it's a Romy. :-D 

I've read over past chapters too, and I've caught several mistakes (like Rogue's backpack that was meant to lead to something, but then I forgot all about it and just left it on that picnic table -- you know, that chapter where Remy convinces her to go with him on that first date, her backpack was forgotten... and that was supposed to mean something, but i totally forgot!) but I'm not going back to correct them until I finish this fic completely. Then I'm going to do a once-over revision, to catch those types of mistakes as well as make my writing mas bueno. 

After that, I'm considering a Rietro. Just a short fic (tho knowing me, it'll get drawn out -- this fic wasn't supposed to get past 10 chapters, really). And then, an original fic. I've really been enjoying this writing thing. I'm surprised I never really took it this seriously before as a pastime/hobby. :) :) 

Damn, what's today? June 5? It's been a whole 3 days, at least, since I last updated!! So loooooong! Ok, I'm uploading this now... next chapter I've already started, and it's going to be short-ish anyhow, so it shouldn't take that long. 

:) 

Rielyn 


	16. Emotions On The Run

Touching

Disclaimer: X-Men Evolution characters are not mine. 

~~~~~~~ 

Pietro sat on his bed, staring down at the pillow he held in his lap. How could she? The image of Gambit kissing Rogue flashed unbidden through his mind, and he clenched his jaw to refrain from screaming. Just friends, bullshit! Damnit, didn't he mean anything to her? How could she do that to him? He threw the pillow, her pillow, across the room in a fit of rage, effectively destroying one of the remaining intact lamps. He wanted to scream, he wanted to strike out at something, or someone, and most of all, he wanted to rip out that smirk that Gambit, without a doubt, had in store for him. 

He glared angrily away from the pillow, pushing has hands through his platinum-colored hair. After a tense moment, he sighed, going to retrieve the pillow and squeeze it apologetically. He was not mad at her, no. He could not be. He did not blame her. It was Gambit's fault, he messed everything up. But what could he do? He already tried and she didn't listen to him. A bitter sigh escaped his lips; and she had even called him her best friend. 

Well, whatever. His mouth firmed into a thin line. He was not going to mope around his room because of her. If she thought he was not good enough for her, so be it. There were other women. He would get over her, brush her aside like she did him. 

Pietro paused, leaning down to press his nose into her pillow. It sounded doubtful, even to himself. With a sigh, he flopped back onto his bed, holding the pillow over his face. Damn, he just had to fall for the one girl he could not have. He lifted the pillow slightly, examining the weave of the soft fabric that held it together thoughtfully. His eyes narrowed and he tossed the pillow away again, but this time just to the other side of the bed. Enough, already! He was not going to mope anymore. Pietro Maximoff did not mope, least of all for some girl. The thought that Rogue was not just 'some girl' ran briefly through his mind, but he clenched his fist as if extinguishing the thought right there in his hand. He would show her. She had him, but she let him go. She had caught him, but she had let him go. And he did not need her. He would show her what she passed up, that he did not care, and most of all, he would show that damn cajun who dared to mess with Magneto's son that he was not just a mere trifle. His ego was bruised, but it was nothing he could not get over. It was nothing, she was nothing. And he was Pietro Maximoff, code name Quicksilver. 

~~~~~~~ 

For some reason, this took me awhile too. I just didn't start typing it. Been getting out, instead of writing. But school again. Maybe soon a job. I'm getting busier. Still going to write, don't get me wrong. Just going to take longer. Sorry... 

So, some Pietro angst here. Not much to say about that. Back to Rogue again next chapter. :) 

Rielyn 


	17. Confrontation

Touching

Disclaimer: I do not own X-Men Evolution or its characters. 

~~~~~~~ 

When Rogue arrived, Pietro was already in class as usual, though he was not in his usual seat. Instead, he was across the room, surrounded by a flock of barbies, much like Remy had been. In fact, he was sitting in Remy's old seat, next to Taryn. Rogue made her way to her desk, a small worried frown on her lips. Why was he-- she knew why the moment the question began to form in her mind. She had done the very same thing to him. She knew how much Pietro disliked Remy, much like how he knew she hated Taryn and her cronies. Yet she had still gone with the cajun. She stared hard at her desktop, feeling terribly guilty. She needed to talk to him. 

Pietro grinned and laughed, posing for the benefit of the girls around him and shamelessly flirting with Taryn. They had, predictably, shown a bit of aversion because he was known to be a mutant, but with a bit of persistent smooth talking, he convinced them that he was worth their time. So there he sat, basking in their attention when Rogue entered the classroom. She had looked surprised when she saw him and where he sat; she seemed like she was feeling a sense of loss, and Pietro could not fight the smug grin that appeared on his lips. Served her right. He gave Taryn a line and she giggled, just as Gambit came through the door. Remy met the speed demon's smirk with a wink, strolling casually to Pietro's old seat, next to Rogue. He was flaunting his hold on her, his claim visible by the green scarf that rested around her shoulders. Pietro narrowed his eyes, swallowing the lump that grew in his throat and disguising the heavy jealousy he felt with a purr towards his female audience. He did not care, no. He was not going to show that he cared, at the very least. If she wanted to ruin her life, so be it. He tried to protect her, to save her, but she just spit it back up in his face. And he was not going to lay around while she walked all over him. It was her loss anyhow. 

Remy landed in his seat with a flourish, reaching towards Rogue to tickle her neck gently through the scarf. Seemed to him that Pietro had cut his losses; which was just as well, he did not want competition anymore to get in the way. 

"Mornin' chere," he murmured, hesitating when she flinched away from his touch and did not look up at him. His tone became soft, hesitant as if picking up on the touchy moment. "Y' doin' okay?" 

"Remy..." She pursed her lips, trailing off, not knowing what to say. 

"S'okay, petite. Y' can tell Remy." 

"It's Pietro..." she whispered, her eyes flickering over to where Maximoff was sitting and then back down to her desk again. "Ah messed things up with him." 

"Oh, chere-" 

"Ah need ta talk ta him, Remy. Ah hurt him, an' Ah need to mahke sure he'll be okay, that we'll still be friends." 

"Chere, didn' I tell y'? Didn' we already talk 'bout dis? It isn' y' fault, it's his." 

She lifted her eyes to his, flashing. "Remy, Ah cain't jus' give up on him lahke that!" She lowered her gaze again. "Ah know what ya said, an' Ah know what ya mean, Ah understand. But... Ah cain't jus' give up on him. He's good inside, Ah know it, jus' lahke ya." 

Remy opened his mouth to argue, but found he couldn't. Pietro. Good inside, just like him. More like, not like him. He gave Rogue a convincing smile of admissal. "Eh bien, what d' y' wan' t' do?" 

"After school, could ya tahke meh to th' brotherhood house?" 

***** 

"Ma belle, d' y' wan' Remy t' go in wit' y'?" She shook her head from where she stood, on the steps to the brotherhood house. He had driven her there on his motorcycle as soon as school ended, before almost everyone else had even gotten to their cars. 

"No, Remy. Don' wait up f' meh either." 

"Mais-" 

"Don' worry. Ah can walk home if nothin' else. An' Ah won' be in danger heah." He glanced at her skeptically and she smiled. "Don' worry. Trust meh, Remy, Ah can tahke care o' mahself." 

He grinned, readying his bike to take off. "S'not y' he worry 'bout. Remy fear y' wreak havoc on de boys." 

Rogue laughed. "Off with ya already, swamp rat. Thanks f' th' ride." He nodded, winking at her before speeding off down the street. She sighed as she finally turned towards the house, looking up at the decrepit walls, looking as if they barely held themselves up. She chuckled slightly, feeling as if her mind could relate. 

She did not have to wait long before Pietro arrived, before the other brotherhood members, due to his speed. He came to an abrupt stop in front of her, surprise crossing his stormy blue eyes. "Rogue? What are you doing here?" 

"A-ah..." she stuttered, stepping back as she searched for what to say. Suddenly, all the words seemed to have disappeared from her vocabulary. "Ah mean..." 

Pietro chuckled, tapping his foot impatiently. "What is it, Roguey? Spit it out already." His eyes were dark, accompanying a bitter smirk that had overcome his expression of surprise. "I haven't got all day." 

"Ah... Ah came ta... ta get mah pillow back," she finished lamely, staring sheepishly down at the toes of her shoes. 

Pietro arched his eyebrows, zipping up to stand next to her, grinning. "Is that all? Why didn't you say so? Be back in a jiffy." With that, he sped into the house and back down again, presenting her pillow. "Thanks, by the way. It was kind of you to let me borrow it." He paused. "Thank you for thinking of me." His voice dripped with sarcasm. "I can very easily say that it served its purpose and that I no longer need it. Nor want it." Rogue swallowed, understanding his subtle references. He was not just talking about the pillow by the word 'it.' "So you can take it away." He pushed the pillow into Rogue's arms, zipping back inside the house before she had a chance to respond. He was about to shut the door in her face when she stopped him, holding her foot in the way. 

Rogue stared down at the pillow for a moment before lifting her gaze to Pietro, her tone plaintive. "No, wait, Pietro... Ah wanted ta talk ta ya... Ah was hopin'-" 

"Yes, well, sorry, Roguey. Your time is up. I'm a busy man, see." He pushed her foot out of the way, shrugging. "And hopes get dashed all the time, besides." Suddenly his voice took a more sinister tone. "Why don't you play kissy-face with Gambit? You seem to like to do that so much." 

Rogue dropped her pillow, reaching forward to slam open the door and catch his forearm, an indignant look on her face. "Excuse meh?" 

He tugged his arm free, nonchalantly dusting off his elbow as he lifted his eyes slyly to look at her. "What? That's all you want to do, isn't it? Isn't that all that matters to you?" 

"No, Pietro, it's not like that!" 

"No? Seems to me like you were really into his body the last time I saw you." 

"Pietro!" 

He smirked darkly at her, his voice dripping with venom. He could not stop. "You can't deny it. You were all over him!" He stepped forward almost threateningly. "You wanted him all along, didn't you? Didn't matter what I had to say, did it? Didn't matter that he was so blatantly a womanizer. You chose to be blind to that. You chose to be deaf to my warnings. You didn't listen to me, yet you called me your best friend. Bullshit!" 

"No, Pietro-" 

"No, no? No, it's not just physical? Then what is it, Roguey?" He emphasized his nickname for her mockingly. "What is it? What about him that attracts you so much? It can't be how good and sweet he is. Trust me, I know all about how lacking he is in that area." 

"Pietro, listen, please, he-" 

"No, Rogue, you're going to listen this time. You do whatever the fuck you like. When you come crying back to me, I reserve the right to say 'I told ya so.' And you will come crying back to me. I know Gambit, no matter what you say. No matter how many dates you've been on, no matter how well you think you know him, you don't. It's all a lie. It's all a game." She shook her head disbelievingly, and he continued with a sneer. "I don't fucking care if you don't believe me now. But you will." 

There was a moment of silence before Rogue dared to venture, "I didn't come to talk about him, Pietro." 

The speed demon laughed. "You didn't? Well, what did you want to talk about then? Us?" 

"Well, yea-" 

"There is no 'us', remember? You rejected me. Yet you opened up your heart to that cold-hearted Acolyte, further throwing our friendship away." He zipped to her side, sardonically brushing his hand through the tips of her hair. "Which reminds me, you never answered my question. What is it, Rogue? What about him do you love?" He zipped to her other side. "Is it his moral standing, his righteousness? Does he fight the good fight for you?" He scoffed. "Or maybe it's the fact that he is a dirty thief? A womanizer? You like that? I never woulda known, Roguey." He laughed bitterly. "So, what is it? What is it, Roguey?" She did not reply. "Damnit, Rogue. What is it?" His voice softened suddenly. "Why him, and not me?" 

Rogue met his eyes at those words, and again, she found she could not answer the question they posed. She could not answer for the pain they revealed. But then Pietro shut the walls down around his heart, and his eyes became cold and emotionless once more. Without another word, he left her side and entered the house, slamming the door in her face. 

Rogue stepped back, stunned, stumbling slightly over the steps and falling into a heap onto the ground. She saw a tear drop down from her eye, darkening a spot on the dirt below her and she clenched her fists, willing herself to stop. Swallowing the lump in her throat, she pushed herself up and began to trek home, mindlessly clutching her pillow. Her mind was numb; she could not think, did not want to think, about anything. Oh, Pietro. 

Pietro clenched his jaw as he watched her leave, her movements robotical. Closing his eyes, he turned away from the window, speeding up into his room. He was going to move on. He was going to get over her. Grabbing the phone, he took out a slip of paper that rested loosely in a pocket of his backpack. Dialing the numbers that were written there, he cradled the phone in his neck before a distinctively feminine voice came on the line. 

"Hello, Taryn?" 

~~~~~~~ 

Major fall-out between Rogue and Pietro. I don't like how parts of this is written. But I don't feel like revising or changing. Taryn was actually going to be physically present, but as I was writing it, she wasn't doing much. And I figure it's quite out of character for her to be silent, at least how I portray her. 

I'm going to get complaints, I know, about how the mutant haters take to Pietro. But just deal. I, being the author, grant Pietro the ability to sweet-talk most barbies like Taryn and her cronies. Much like Remy could if he wanted to, though his skill is not just for barbies but for 'higher' women too. Like Rogue. ;) 

I don't like this chapter. I think I got used to writing fluff stuff. 

Also, as a note, keep in mind how fast Pietro tends to talk. I don't want to slur allthewordstogetherlikethisbecause, simply, it gets too damn confusing. So that's how he gets all those words in without Rogue interjecting. 

Also, forgive the language. 

I'm sleepy, so I can't rant real well. Just be glad I finished another chapter. This way, the sooner I get to further the plot. Up next, more Remy falling for Rogue. and then Remy falling in love. and then... I just want to get there already. So sleepy... 

*falls asleep* zzzZZZzzzZZZzzz 

(Rielyn :-p) 

note: it's been a few days since I've finished this... but ff.net won't let me upload it. WTF? Maybe it doesn't like my writing. So, sorry this arrived so late, not my fault! 


	18. Admission

Touching

Disclaimer: X-Men Evolution is not mine. Also, I'm not responsible for the tongue-lashing I'll deliver to people who try to correct my french, and pitifully fail. While the structure could be wrong, and blah blah blah, and if they had said something about that, I would have bowed down and said 'oops, well I told you I'm not sure if it was really right, but the French isn't the point, the story is, but yea, i'll correct it. and thanks for pointing it out, too.' But I know vocabulary, and furthermore own a French dictionary. Good god, I took French for at least 6 years now, you would think I would know basic grammar and vocab. And then someone decides to 'review' and say "oh hey dumbass [not actually said, but sounded like it was implied], whenever you said 'mais' you were saying 'corn' in French." Uhm. No. You're wrong. It means 'but.' Trust me, it's one of the simplest French words there are. 'Maïs', on the other hand, does mean 'corn' in French. TELL ME you see the difference between mais and maïs. If you don't, you have no right to correct me. In fact, in trying to correct my French, you completely missed out on the numerous REAL mistakes I made, that I found when I went back over my chapters (and am not going to correct until I go back and revise the story; which is after I finish writing it). I wouldn't be so peeved if there was actually some actual reviewing going on after you misguidedly tried to nitpick, but alas, your "'mais' means 'corn'" comment was all you had to say. Damn people, don't waste my time. 

I'm not going to apologize for the rant that I usually save until after my story, but that just hit a nerve. I mean, what the hell? I can see how a mistake can be made, but really. If you're going to point out something wrong, point out something that's actually wrong, and significant. And don't try to act all know-it-all about it too. 

~~~~~~~ 

Rogue stared blankly at the ground that slowly moved under her feet. What just happened? It was not supposed to go that way. It was not supposed to go that way at all. After talking to him, things were supposed to be okay. But then she could not even get a word in edgewise, and now things were far from okay. She clenched her fists, digging her fingers into the pillow she clutched in her hands, and willed herself not to cry. Pausing for a moment outside of the mansion gates, she steeled herself, numbing her thoughts and her heart. She barely noticed walking into the mansion and through the small groups of teenage mutants; she was trying too hard to keep her mind sane. 

***** 

Kitty, Kurt, and Bobby were squabbling over snacks in the kitchen, letting loose with their powers a maelstrom of blue fur, ice, and splatters of food. Kitty phased through a piece of cake that Kurt had thrown in retaliation to her crushing cookie crumbs over his head, and it ended up hitting Bobby in the face. 

"Hey!" he cried indignantly, glaring at a now sheepish Kurt through chocolate icing. "You're gonna get it now, fuzzball." He grabbed a bowl of grapes, arming himself with a few of the purple orbs, ready to launch. Bobby took off after the blue demon, who simply teleported out of the way. "That's not fair!" 

Hanging upside down on the ceiling, Kurt taunted him. "Neener neener neener, you jus' 'ave bad aim!" 

"Oh, I'll show you bad aim," muttered Bobby, feigning tossing a grape at him. Predictably, he teleported, but this time, Bobby spotted where to at the first shimmer of sulfuric smoke. Not only did he launch the whole bowl of grapes at Kurt, but he iced the ground beneath the blue boy's feet, causing Kurt, wearing a grape bowl hat, to slide unceremoniously into the table of food, spilling the lot of it on top of him as he fell. Bobby was laughing triumphantly when Kitty dumped the bowl of chip dip onto his head. 

Indignant shouts and a unison, "Let's get her!" followed a cackling Kitty outside as she avoided being buried under a pile of food. By phasing through walls, she lost them, but would have ran straight into a zombie-like Rogue if she had not made herself intangible once more at the last minute. 

"Rogue?" She spun around, stumbling from her momentum, and made her way back to her friend. "Hey, Rogue?" No answer. Kitty pursed her lips, following her into the dormitory side of the mansion. Rogue's eyes were hard and blank, her jaw set, and she kept stumbling forward as if not seeing. To make things even odder, she clutched a pillow in her right hand, her knuckles going white with how tightly a fist she held. "Hey, earth to Rogue! What's gotten into you?" Rogue blinked, her eyes focusing on Kitty as if she had just noticed her. 

"Kitty?" 

"Yeah, your roommate, remember? You're like totally zoning out here. What's the deal?" 

Rogue paled, pushing past her to their room. "Ah don' wan' ta talk 'bout it." 

Kitty still followed. "Come ON, Rogue. You can tell me. And it's not like I wouldn't find out eventually anyway." She paused, closing the door behind her, a pensive look on her face. "It's Pietro again, isn't it?" 

Rogue glared at her. "No! Whay would it be? An' besahdes, Ah said Ah don' wan' ta talk 'bout it!" 

"It is, isn't it?" Rogue snorted but did not respond. Kitty cocked an eyebrow at her knowingly as she took a seat on Rogue's bed. "What happened?" 

"It's nothin', Kitty. Please leave meh alone." 

"I can't do that. You're my roommate and it is my personal responsibility to make sure you don't, like, completely spaz out on us. Now, tell me what happened." 

"Yah aren' gonna get off this, are ya?" 

"Nope. And get used to it. I get my way eventually." 

Rogue sighed, dropping her chin into her hands, contemplating a way to begin. "Well, Kitty... what if Ah tol' ya that Ah... well.. Ah sorta have a boyfriend." 

Kitty's eyes widened. "Well, I'd say you were holding out on me." She grabbed Rogue's pillow and clutched it to her chest. "Who is it? It's Pietro, isn't it? I knew it! You had a lover's quarrel, didn't you? That's why you're looking so down in the dumps." 

"Are you gonna listen ta meh or keep runnin' yer mouth an' come ta yer own conclusions?" 

"Sorry... go on then." 

"As Ah was sayin'... Ah kinda have a boyfri-" 

"Kinda?" 

"Yeah, kinda." 

"What do you mean? How can you 'kinda' have a boyfriend?" 

"Ah jus' do!" Rogue snapped, taking in a frustrated breath. "it's complicated. Drop it, and shut up already." 

"Okay, okay. Sheesh." 

There was a moment of silence as Rogue fished for words, and Kitty shifted impatiently. "It's not Pietro." She hesitated, twisting her fingers into the thin scarf draped around her shoulders. "His name is Remy LeBeau, but ya might know him more by his codename, Gambit." When Kitty gave her a blank look, Rogue sighed and dropped her head a bit. "One of Magneto's goons. Ya know, th' one with th' trenchcoat an' explodin' cards." 

Kitty gasped. "The Acolyte?!" 

"Shh!" 

"I've seen him at school; he's enrolled now right?" She did not wait for a reply. "I've never seen you two together! I never would have guessed!" 

Rogue had to hide a shimmer of a grin. "Remy is sneaky that way." 

"I'd say." Kitty frowned, her surprise turning into disapproval. "I mean, I can totally see why you like him, Rogue. He's charming and gorgeous, and that accent is to die for!" 

"Whay do Ah feel a 'but' comin' on?" 

"But... he's the enemy, Rogue. How can you trust him? He's obviously a womanizer, and who knows, he could just as well be using you, for his own entertainment as well as a tool for Magneto." 

"No, Kitty, you don't know him-" 

"And you do?" 

Rogue growled, her anger flaring. "Who are ya ta talk? Ya were cavortin' with Lance, an' he's jus' as much 'the enemy' as Remy." 

"That's different." 

"How is that any diff'rent?" 

"Unlike Lance, who's simply a part of the brotherhood, Gambit is a full-fledged Acolyte. You know? In comparison, the brotherhood just does petty evils. I personally wouldn't be surprised if the Acolytes didn't have a conscience. After what they've done to us. Or have you forgotten that?" 

"No, but-" 

"No buts. You'd be better off with Pietro." Rogue opened her mouth to reply but Kitty continued. "I know, he betrayed us, but like, think of his point of view. It's totally twisted. How would you like to have Magneto for a father, and have to choose between him and your friends? And so what's Remy's excuse, huh? I think you should totally give Pietro a chance." 

"So that's it," muttered Rogue, softly menacing. "Tryin' ta play matchmaker, choosin' what's right an' what's wrong 'cause Ah cain't figure it out f' mahself, right?" 

"Rogue-" 

"No, yah're gonna quit yer yappin' fer once an' listen. Ya don' know Remy. Ya haven' talked ta him lahke Ah have. Ya're jus' judgin' him by his cover, an' ya don' even know nothin' 'bout him." 

"Rogue, he's dangerous. You don't know what you could be getting into." 

Rogue threw up her hands, storming out of the room, followed quickly by Kitty. "You don' know nothin'! Ya don't know him!" 

"But-" 

"An' Pietro?" Rogue snorted, spinning around to face her. They were standing in the rec room now, drawing a crowd, though it was unnoticed by the two in the heated argument. "He's th' one doin' meh wrong, not Remy. He tried ta control meh too. Confessed his 'LOVE' ta manipulate, tried ta blackmail meh. He made meh feel guilty and awful 'bout Remy, just lahke yah're doin'." 

Jean pressed her way to the front of the crowd, followed soon after by Scott. "Rogue, Kitty? What's wrong?" 

Rogue whirled on the redhead, her green eyes blazing. "Ya keep outta mah head, Jean." Kitty drew silent, folding her fingers together anxiously in front of her. 

"I'm not-" began Jean, but Rogue was already striding off. Scott moved to intercept her. 

"Rogue, what's going on? What's this about Pietro? And Gambit?" 

Rogue glared at him, backing away. "It's none o' ya business. Leave meh alone!" Suddenly, she heard a soft bamf and she spun around to see Kurt peering curiously around him. 

"Vhat's vith da crowd? Rogue..?" Rogue hesitated, her hardened exterior softening slightly for her 'brother.' His golden eyes sought hers. "Rogue? Vhat's-" 

"You're dating Gambit?" gasped Jean, and Rogue flushed red with fury, doing away with whatever hesitation she had. 

"Ah thought that Ah told ya ta stay outta mah head!" 

"Who iz Gambit?" hissed Kurt, his blue fur ruffling as he began going into protective mode for his sister. 

"He works for Magneto," piped up Kitty. "He's the one with the exploding cards." 

"Rogue, I highly disapprove of this." Scott crossed his arms and stared at her. "He's the enemy! He's dangerous! He's just using you for some plan Magneto has cooking, and you can bet on that. You can't trust him, nevermind date him. Who knows what he already may have gained from you by now! I'm disappointed in you, you should know better! You should know not to trus-" 

"Shut up!" Rogue interrupted, raising her hands to cover her ears. 

Kurt approached her carefully, laying a three fingered hand on her shoulder that she did not shrug away. "Das boy, he izn't good for you, mein schweister. You should listen to Scott. He's right. Ve know nothing about dis Gambit. He's trouble." 

"So that's all ya think of meh." Her voice was low, her head bowed as she let her arms go slack by her sides. "Ah cain't mahke th' right decisions on mah own. Ah'm so stupid fer fallin' fer him. Ah'm not worth lovin' so obviously he jus' wants ta use meh, ta manipulate meh." 

"Rogue, you know that's not what we mean," protested Kitty. 

"Yes, it's just that we know nothing about this Gambit character," added Jean. "It's for your own good that we want you to keep a distance from him." 

"No." Rogue lifted her head, pulling roughly away from Kurt. "No. Ah don' need yah're advice. Ah'm tired of bein' told what's right an' what's wrong, when Ah can decide just as well fo' mahself. None o' ya have even talked ta him, not lahke Ah have. Yah don' know nothin'." 

"Rogue.." started Scott, stepping towards her. 

"Keep away from meh!" screamed Rogue, her green eyes flashing furiously. "Ah ain' gonna listen ta ya. Ya'll are jus' some close-minded... close-minded.." She hesitated, searching for the correct word to use. "Close-minded freaks!" She shook her head, continuing to back up until the crowd parted a way for her. "Ah don' need yah're advice. In fact, Ah don' need ANY of ya'll! Ah can tahke care o' mahself an' make mah own decisions! Ah'm sick an' tired of bein' controlled by ya. Ah'm tired of yo' rules an' regulations. Ah'm tired of doin' 'what's right.' It's mah turn! Mah turn ta be happy! Mah turn fo' mahself. An' none o' ya'll are gonna take that away from meh!" With that, she bolted away and out the front door, leaving the rest of the X-Men staring speechlessly at her back. 

***** 

She did not stop running until she was a good distance away from the mansion, slowing into an agitated trot. They did not understand, they would never understand. All they did was judge. They did not know him like she did, they never even talked to him. They would never understand. They would never trust her, believe in her, have faith in her. She was responsible enough for her own actions. They did not even try to understand. 

Rogue found her way to a small park, sitting down upon the grass. If anything, they should at least try to be supportive. She sighed, plucking up a strand of green from the ground beneath her. She knew why they were worried for her. Admittedly, they had a point. And, they did care about her. But that did not give them the right to try to run her life for her. It was her life, her choice to make. 

She stared at the piece of grass she held, twisting it between her fingers. They should be happy for her, too. She... she was in love. Yes, he was an Acolyte. Yes, they fought against each other. But she got to know him and spend time with him, didn't they hear her? She talked to him and she fell in love. He made her feel like love was possible for her, despite her poison skin. She felt stunning and alive when he was around. She felt like she was worth something. The X-Men never made her feel quite like that. They should at least be happy for her. 

Dropping the piece of grass, she undid the scarf from around her neck to examine it carefully in her hands. The delicate green fabric looked a bit worn from being doused in water, but it still shimmered and veiled her gloved fingers beautifully. She could just imagine what Remy's lips looked like under the shadow of the scarf and she smiled, a soft blush tracing over her cheeks. Sighing softly, she pressed it to her lips. 

"I love ya, swamp rat," she whispered. "Yah're th' only thing Ah have goin' f' meh." 

~~~~~~~ 

Mm, ff.net seems to be accepting chapter uploads again. Finally! 

I seem to have lost my reviews though. I got them by email, but they're not on the site. Boo. I forgot most of what was said. :P Except of course that french 'correction.' *mutters* 

About the Pietro/Taryn thing. I know, it seems a bit unlikely since she is a mutant hater, at least with how I've portrayed her in my fic. But again, Pietro is such a sweet talker, at least in my fic. Hey, he convinced four girls to be his date(s) to that dance. But I didn't know who else to use, for one. And I didn't want to create a character. I don't like inserting OCs in fanfics, but that's just a personal thing. Besides, as Taryn is like Rogue's archenemy, well, 2nd to Jean maybe ;-p, it makes things more interesting. Again, Pietro's role in Rogue's life is not over. I could just as well brush him off here and have it assumed that he went off with Taryn, since he's not a principal principal character like remy/rogue. But no, his role isn't finished. 

I had a bit of trouble in terms of the plotline. I didn't exactly want this fight between the x-men/rogue over remy to happen here. But that's how the story went as I wrote it. I contemplated changing it, but it works well enough, I think, here. It's okay though, I'll just have to adjust things later. 

Rogue loves Remy Rogue loves Remy and she's come to terms with it, she's admitted it. I almost went into explicit detail why she loved him, but i think that's pretty obvious. he showed her that she didn't need to touch to feel, and all that mushy stuff. blahblahblah. Now, it's Remy's turn. 

Missed me during those few days when I couldn't update? Yea, me too. So frustrating... I wanted to drop kick ff.net into the middle of the next century! 

Rielyn 


	19. Too Far

Touching

Disclaimer: X-Men Evolution is not mine. 

~~~~~~~ 

Once school was out, Rogue dashed outside to wait for Remy to appear by his motorcycle. She had not spoken to the X-Men since that scene the afternoon before; she returned to the mansion before curfew but made it crystal clear that she was not in the mood to talk. At the same time, they felt she needed sometime to herself, after she had yelled at them. The next morning, she was still angry at them and she was not about to forgive them that easily, though they probably did not even think that they had done anything wrong. Either way, she needed a break, and so she asked Remy during first period if he could take her out somewhere afterschool. He readily agreed with his signature wink and that grin that made her feel like all the blood was rushing to her head. 

And so here she was, waiting for the cajun for the third time since he enrolled. She willed him to hurry up, wanting to avoid all contact with the X-Men. 

"Rogue!" A familiar voice rang out from behind her and she closed her eyes in despair, sighing. Too late. Scott trotted up to her, a firmly set frown playing on his lips. "You've been avoiding us." 

Rogue smirked, turning to face him and folding her arms defiantly over her chest. "Congratulations. Ya figured out th' obvious," she deadpanned. "Ah s'pose ya will be wantin' a prize." 

"Come on, Rogue. We don't deserve to be treated this way, I don't deserve to be treated this way." 

"An' Ah don' deserve ta be treated lahke Ah don' know any bettah! Ah have a mind, ya know. Ah ain' gonna blindly follow ya lahke a damn lemming." She turned away from him to signal that she was done with the conversation. "Go away, Scott. Ah don' wan' ta talk ta ya." 

"But..." He paused, his eyes glancing over to the bike she stood by. "Is that Gambit's bike?" She did not answer. "Where are you going now?" 

She spun around to glare at him. "That's none o' ya business, okay? Leave meh alone!" 

"Rogue, it's dangerous! He's dangerous. You really shouldn't be isolating yourself with him. Who knows what tricks he'll pull on you!" 

"Remy won' hurt her none, mon ami," interjected a low, purring voice. Remy came up from behind Scott and positioned himself next to Rogue, his brown eyes dancing in amusement. "I be Remy, dough it seems y' are already familiar with who I am. An' y' are?" 

Scott crossed his arms, glaring at Remy distrustingly. "I bet you already know, Acolyte." 

Remy smirked, shrugging. "If y' wan' t' skip de introductions, dat's fine by me. Was on'y bein' polite." He swung his leg over his motorcycle, turning to hand Rogue the helmet. "Allons, ma cherie." 

"She's not going with you. I forbid it." 

Remy glanced over to the irate X-Man. "Well, who gives y' de right? An' 'sides, Remy wouldn' force her 'gainst her will. If she don' wan' t' go..." He glanced over to Rogue as if to question her, though a knowing grin turned his lips upward. 

Rogue attached the motorcycle helmet to her head and mounted Remy's motorcycle, slipping her hands around his waist. Turning her head slightly to meet Scott's gaze through his sunglasses, she growled, "Go home, Scott." 

"Wait, Rogue!" protested Scott as Remy ignited his motorcycle, revving it loudly for a bit before taking off, leaving the self-proclaimed leader of the X-Men in its dust. "Wait... please.." he coughed pitifully. He was losing her, they were losing her. And it was Gambit's fault. 

***** 

Rogue laughed, openly enjoying the wind rushing through her hair, and she had to extend her hand to feel the invisible force push playfully against her fingers. "Remy! Take meh ta our waterfall! Ah feel lahke a swim!" she shouted over the rumble of the motorcycle motor and the hissing of the wind. 

Remy turned his head to grin at her out of the corner of his eye. "Will do, cherie! Mais, let's pick up a picnic first! Je meurs de faim!" 

***** 

They arrived at the waterfall with a bag of fried chicken and spicy cajun takeout to share between them. They set to eating the food silently, reclining upon the soft grass and watching the serenity that was the lagoon. It was Remy who broke the silence. 

"Chere, y' wan' t' tell Remy why he didn' have t' twist y' arm t' take y' out dis time?" Rogue sighed, looking down to the piece of chicken in her fingers. She didn't want to talk. She didn't want to discuss anything. She just wanted the silence. She lifted her eyes to his, their emerald green imparting her plea to his natural red on black. He understood. "Ma belle, c'mere." He pushed the food from between them and extended his arms towards her. She looked at him blankly, making no movement towards him. With a smirk, he scooted over and folded her up in his arms, pressing his face into her sweet smelling hair. When she stiffened, he shook his head slightly, shushing her gently and caressing her back with his hands. Reaching over, he took a piece of fried chicken and dangled it in front of her lips. "Here, cherie," he whispered playfully. She glanced up at him with a 'you must be kidding' smirk upon her lips, but went along with hit, taking the piece of food daintily from his fingers into her mouth. "Y' sure know how t' use y' mouth, cherie. Y' can drive a man insane, I can tell." 

She swatted at him half-heartedly with a small grin on her lips. "Shh." Reaching over, she grabbed some of his food and gently fed him a piece. They began to interchangeably feed each other, their eyes locked in place of their lips. They revelled in the moment, in the intimacy that was shared by the simple act. 

Rogue hesitated during her turn, keeping her gloved fingertips at his mouth and watching as his lips caressed the worn fabric. She could hardly believe she was here, with him. A tenderness rushed through her as she stared at the cajun that held her gently in his arms, whose heat warmed her to the core, whose voice could evoke feelings in her that she did not even know existed. She was living and it was he who had made it possible. "Remy..." He turned and lifted his eyebrows, his eyes questioning. "Remy, Ah love ya..." 

Remy just stared at her for a moment. There. He had won. He got her; another victory for the ragin' cajun. The game was finally drawing to a close. But he was not sure how he felt about that. An alien sense of dread tickled him; he was soon to hurt her. No more smiles for the young untouchable. No more rush of a multitude of emotions. 

Instead of replying with words, he brought up his hands to drape the ever-present green scarf over her lips and kissed her passionately. When she started kissing back, he pushed gently against her until she lay pinned on the ground underneath him. Their bodies intertwined, her fingers tangled in her hair and the kiss broken only for short gulps of air. 

Rogue loved it. Despite the slight barrier, she was drowning in a sea of sensations and wonderful emotions. She felt him pressed against her so tightly that he felt like he was a part of her. He was a part of her. She loved him, faults and all. She would not have him any other way. 

Remy had to fight getting lost in the kiss. It was hard. He breathed in her scent, tasted her through the thin silk, and felt her body squirming beneath him. He felt the physical pleasure that he expected, but he also felt something unexpected, indistinguishable. She took his breath away. He felt his heart palpitating, not just with arousal, but with some sort of anxious rush, a thrill that she was here in his arms, lips locked with his. There was almost a relief that she belonged to him, and also a desire to please her. The emotions were overwhelming and he could not take it, breaking his lips away to kiss her neck through the scarf, trying to clear his head. 

She loved him; the though flashed neon in his mind as he massaged her neck with his lips. He heard her moan softly but pleasurably, and he wanted to hear it again. He felt her fingers clutch at his back tightly, as if she owned him, and her body tightened against him possessively; she was claiming him. His body felt hotter than ever before, the sensations more poignant than even those he felt during sex. Rogue loved him. Other women had loved him, but with her, like the other emotions she opened his eyes to, the emotion of love was something deep and complex, something beautiful. She loved him; it had made no difference before, but now it made all the difference in the world. 

Remy had to stop at this though, his eyes staring blankly at her pale neck, tinted green through the scarf. He breathed heavily, fear gripping his heart. This was bad; it was not supposed to be like this, he was not supposed to feel like this. He was never supposed to feel guilt. It was his game, his entertainment; he was a heartbreaker and he liked it that way. He was cold and unfeeling under his facade of emotion. He was not supposed to feel; what did he feel? He did not love her. But then what was it? Did he care about her? It could not be. No. What was he feeling? A sharp panic jabbed at his chest. If he was not careful, he might even fall--, and he could not fall, not again. The game had to end. 

"Remy?" She was looking at him quizzically. He had stopped suddenly and was staring down at her chest, from what she could see. "Remy, hello. Ah'm up heah." 

He blinked, focusing on her jade pupils and coming out of his jumble of thoughts. Grinning reassuringly, he ran his hand through her hair. "Désolé, chere. Remy got lost in how beautiful y' are." He kept his facade up, but inside he was faltering. He had to end the game; but how could he? Whenever he looked at her, he felt such a rush of emotions, he was intoxicated. 

Rogue looked at him skeptically with a smirk. "Bull." 

He chuckled as he eased himself off of her, backing away as if in preparation. He gave her a wry grin. "Bien, y' caught me, petite. Remy was undressin' y' wit' his eyes." 

"Ooh, ya perv!" She snatched up a carton of mashed potatoes and had the load of it planted on his face before he could protest. Laughing, she dashed into the water, submerging herself and cutting through the lagoon smoothly despite her hampering clothes. Remy flicked bits of potato out of his eye as he just ast there for a moment, watching her retreat. 

She was so carefree now, so happy. So different from how he had found her. He gave her this happiness. And he was going to take it away. 

Putting up his playful smirk once more, he called out to her as he began wading into the pool. "Oh, chere, y' gon' t' regret dat! Remy comin' wit' de gravy f' his revenge!" 

***** 

Rogue had resurfaced in the cove under the waterfall, her hands slicking back her hair away from her face, and had to stifle a gasp when she finally opened her eyes. The roar of the waterfall seemed to grow louder in her ears, masking any sound she could have heard or created herself. She could not move. 

Pietro had Taryn pressed up against the wall, his lips pressed firmly to hers and his hands roaming over her body. They were entangled in such a passionate embrace that Rogue felt a deep blush tint her cheeks, though she was unable to tear her eyes away. She felt an urge to call out, to scream, to do anything to interrupt the scene in front of her; but her voice caught in her throat. Pietro, no. "Don't do this," she hoarsely whispered, unconsciously stepping back. She clumsily stumbled, letting out an awkward squawk that finally alerted the two to her presence. Pietro blinked, genuinely surprised, and self-consciously straightening his clothes, though unaware of that reflex. 

"Rogue?" 

"What are YOU doing here?" Taryn sneered, placing one hand on her hip, the other loosely clinging to Pietro's arm possessively. 

Rogue ignored Taryn, her eyes fixated on Pietro's. "Pietro.." 

"Answer her question," he interrupted coldly. "What ARE you doing here?" 

She frowned, becoming defensive. "That's none o' ya business. Ah have jus' as much right ta be heah as ya'll do. It's public property." 

"Uhm," Pietro smirked. "As a matter of fact, Roguey, it isn't. My father owns this area. You should not be here." 

"What..? Ya father..?" 

"It's alright, mon ami. De fille, she is wit' Gambit." Pietro stiffened as Remy stepped up from behind Rogue, his red eyes the first thing that appeared. "I brought her here. Dere's no harm done." His eyes flickered over to Taryn, who huffed and turned her head away. "Chere, I t'ink we gon' need a new place t' call our own." 

"You're damn right, you do," hissed Pietro, his form almost trembling with how tense he was. "I can only imagine what you two have been doing. And in my father's own-" he cut himself off with a growl. "Gambit," he barked. "Being Magneto's son, I order you to never bring any of your _conquests_," he looked pointedly at Rogue, "here again. Do it in your own private quarters." Remy started forward threateningly at Pietro's impudence, his eyes blazing with fury, but the speed demon zipped across the room, leaving a slight wake behind him. "Oh, no no no, I wouldn't try anything if I were you, Gambit. You're too slow, and besides, do you WANT my father after you or something?" 

Remy snorted in disgust, turning towards Rogue but she had already left. With a last venomous glance towards Pietro, and then Taryn, he turned to follow Rogue. "Y' ain' impressin' nobody, mon ami." He hesitated before pushing through the waterfall. "Nor makin' Rogue jealous." 

Pietro flushed. "I'm not trying to..." he trailed off; the cajun had left. He stared darkly at the waterfall. "I'm done with her." 

Taryn waded over to him, smiling cattily. "Of course you are. She was so not worth your time." She ran her fingers up his collar, eliciting a shudder from the speed demon. "Shall we continue what we were doing before we were so rudely interrupted?" 

Pietro quirked a small smile, leaning forward to kiss her. She immediately deepened the kiss, attaching herself to him like an extra appendage. He tried to lose himself in the sensations that she was so good at producing, but he could not. It felt wrong. He broke off, putting a bit of distance between them and averting his gaze. 

"What?" Taryn's voice was tinged with annoyance. 

Pietro sighed softly. "I'm sorry. Those two.. they gave me a splitting headache." He clutched at his head to illustrate. "Not to mention that they ruined the mood. How about I take you home, and postpone our date for a time when I can really knock your socks off?" He grinned at her, but to him, it was like he could not see. All he saw was a snapshot of Rogue's face when she spied them, shocked and hurt because of him. He blinked, but the image would not go away. 

Taryn giggled, grabbing on to his arm as they started wading out of the cove. "Is that a promise?" 

He tilted his head coyly, winking at her as he swept her up into his arms. "Scout's honor. Now, hold on tight, sweetcheeks!" Squealing, Taryn slung her arms around Pietro's neck as he sped off towards her home. 

***** 

Remy caught up to Rogue on the shore by the food. She was crouching, idly picking at the grass. He paused. It would be so easy to leave her now. What reason did he have to stay? She was just a game, and he had already won. She loved him. That was all he was aiming for; to see if he could break through her barriers. It was not like he could bed her and leave. This was as far as he was going to get. So why couldn't he just slip away unnoticed, leaving her to pick up the remains of their food, and her heart. The game was over. So why did he hesitate? 

"Chere?" His voice was softer than he intended, almost afraid to get her attention, a last attempt to convince himself to just leave. She did not answer, but after a moment, he tried again. He had to, though he did not know why. "Rogue?" 

"Whay didn' ya tell meh that this was Magneto's place?" 

He moved to kneel beside her, a hesitant hand raising to caress her shoulder. "Remy didn' t'ink dat it was important." He tilted his head, trying to catch her eyes. "Dat isn' why y' upset, Rogue. Tell me de trut'." 

She lifted her head and fell into his arms, curling up and burying her cheek into the soaked fabric of his shirt. "It's jus'... Pietro knows how much Ah hate that girl. An' then Ah see them all ovah eachothah... an' he knows... an' Ah know he's only doin' it 'cause Ah hurt him. Ah hurt him bad, Remy. An' Ah wan' ta make things alright again, but Ah don' know how. Ah don' know how, an' it's tearin' meh up insahde." 

He held her close, running his hands reassuringly through her hair. "Rogue-" 

"No, Remy, Ah don' really wan' ta discuss it." She pulled away slightly to smile sadly up at him. "Ya asked meh what, an' Ah tol' ya, but Ah really... Ah don' wan' ya ta make meh feel bettah 'bout hurtin' him." 

"But-" 

She silenced him, placing her gloved hand over his mouth and kissing her knuckles. "Shh." 

"Chere, Remy... he don' wan' y' t' be unhappy..." 

"Ah'll be fahne, swamp rat. Ah jus'... can ya take meh home?" 

He smiled softly, taking her hand and kissing her fingers. "If it'd make y' happy, petite." 

They set to cleaning up, and soon they were on Remy's motorcycle, heading back to the mansion. Clinging to Remy's waist, Rogue allowed her thoughts to go peaceful, simply enjoying his nearness and the thrill of the ride, leaving the subject of Pietro to wait for later. But Remy's thoughts were not as calm. He was suddenly distinctly aware of Rogue's presence behind him on the motorcycle, of her slender arms that held him around his waist, of her thighs that held tight around his hips. He could feel through his empathy her peace, with a deeply woven sadness underneath. He could also sense how she felt towards him. He wanted to stop and enjoy it, yet at the same time he wanted to bolt away from it. Since when did he get so confused? She felt like an addiction, her hook the emotions that she shared with him. And he could not get enough of her sass, of her fire, or her smile. He- He had to stop thinking about her. She was a game. A toy. Just entertainment. Not even his equal. Even though she met him word for word whenever he teased her. He wanted to scream in frustration, though he had to settle for shaking his head abruptly to clear it. He was not falling for her. They had some good fun, that was all. Just some fun. She was fun to be with. 

He had to stop. 

~~~~~~~ 

Wow. Longish. Remy's almost there! Thanks for being patient. And for those of you who want to hear about the X-Men, there'll be a scene with them in the next chapter. I have to admit that I tend to focus on just one or two characters, in this case three. So everyone else gets the back burner. That's alright, you didn't miss them too much, did you? 

Syrenwytch -- this is definitely a Romy. I'm the author, I think I'd know. :) Also, as for how would Rogue be sure of what she thinks? Feelings are feelings. Thoughts are thoughts. What other people say can be taken into consideration, but they can't make you think something you don't. And yea, while the X-Men are the closest thing to a family that she has, I find that she still has to hold them at arm's length, you know? Cause of her power and blahblahblah. Essentially, she deals with things alone, and when they try to control her and intervene, I see her as fighting it. 

I've gotten lots of support from you people, and I'm really grateful. It helps so much, you have no idea. Every day I get so excited because there just might be a new review up for me. 

Pietro is obviously gonna be back in Rogue's life. I mean, I could have had him just disappear with Taryn from this fic, but look I brought him back again. 

Rogue will find out soon-ish, in like a chapter or two about Remy. Yea, that's gonna be a load of angst. Probably a long-ass chapter(s) too. Man, don't I long for the days when I could type these out in a day. Ahh, the good old days. Bah, here I am feeling old again. Blah. 

Remy... well I think it's obvious what's going on with Remy. 

Anyway... :) thanks for reading and welcoming me back since that time when ff.net was acting up! 

Rielyn 


	20. Salvation

Touching

Disclaimer: X-Men Evolution is not mine. 

~~~~~~~ 

Rogue slipped noiselessly into her room, having successfully avoided the other inhabitants of the mansion upon returning from her outing with Remy. The last thing she needed right now was their righteous bullshit. Grabbing her pillow, she flopped backwards onto her bed. Pietro. Remy. God, if she thought her life was messed up before... It used to be simply terrible; now, it was complicatedly terrible. 

Figures. Now that she found love, fate just had to find a way to screw things up. She just had to walk in on Pietro and Taryn. She just had to be there, at the wrong place, at the wrong time. She just had to feel guilty. She snorted. Fate never liked her much anyway, and the feeling was entirely mutual. She squeezed her pillow, her once 'token of love' to Pietro. Well, that was quite alright. Screw fate. She was going to make things okay. She and Pietro would be friends again. She just had to figure out how. 

***** 

Storm's heels clicked determinedly on the concrete floor as she made her way to Mr. McCoy's lab. As she passed the danger room, she could not help the images of practices with her nephew there that flashed through her mind. She had heard nothing from Evan since he had left with the Morlocks, and while her sister was stricken with intense worry, Ororo was dealing with that, plus the guilty feeling that she could have done something more. Something that would have helped him, so that he would not have had to leave. She should have been there for him. 

It was because of his mutation developing; it changed his outward appearance so drastically that he felt he needed to withdraw into the sewers, the SEWERS, to come to terms with things. How could she not have seen it coming? But yet, what could she have done? 

She paused outside of the lab, her eyes idly wandering over to the medbay and down the hall where she came from. A few days after Evan's departure, she had asked Hank to see if he could find a way to help him. Subdue his powers, reverse them, make it like it was before, when he had control and showed no outward effects. Maybe then he would come back home, to her, to his family. It was desperate, and admittedly, perhaps not the right way to go about things, to go about helping him. He should accept the changes that his mutant abilities brought forth, not fight them. But the fact remained that she was desperate. She had to do something, anything. Just, anything to make her feel like she was not giving up on her nephew, like she was not deserting him, abandoning him. She could not leave him alone and she wanted him home. 

It had been too long since he had left. Way too long. Months, even. And she missed him dearly during the entirety of that time, regretted taking his presence for granted, even when she was on a mission, even throughout the Apocalypse ordeal; it was a constant grief. There was a distinct emptiness in the world around her now. She wanted, she needed him back. 

Swallowing, she entered the lab. Time had led her here that afternoon, as Beast summoned her. She wondered if he had been successful, though even if he had, there was still the question of getting the solution to Evan, and furthermore, if it really was a solution. Coming out of her thoughts, she easily found Mr. McCoy fiddling with a microscope on a nearby table. 

"You summoned for me, Hank?" 

He lifted his head, flashing her a friendly smile. "Ahh, yes, Ororo. So I did." He beckoned her to come over. "I'd like for you to take a look in this microscope." 

"What exactly is it that I am looking at?" 

"Now now, patience is a virtue. These are non-mutant cells. You could say, that they are normal." Leaning over, he switched the slides. "Here is a new slide. Now what do you see?" 

"You are asking the wrong person. I do not see any difference between this and the last." 

Hank chuckled. "Do not sell yourself short, Ororo. That is precisely what you are meant to see." 

Storm lifted her eyes from the microscope and peered at him. "I do not understand." 

"Well, the second slide is a sample of mutant cells that have come in direct contact with a liquid compound that I have created using the samples of the Gems of Cytorrak that Professor Xavier had retrieved from the remains of the so-called Asteroid M. I manipulated the distinctly radioactive material so that instead of evolving, it, in a manner of speaking, 'devolved' its target." Hank took the microscope and glanced down through the eyepiece briefly. "As you can see, it reduced mutant cells into those of a normal, non-mutant." 

"You... found a cure for mutations?" 

"Well, no. After a few hours, a day at most, the compound is passed through the system and the cells return to their normal state. However," He raised a finger to punctuate his point. "There is an alternative in administering the compound, rather than an invasive injection or perhaps an oral intake. As the gems are radioactive in nature, they emit waves, a characteristic passed on to the solid form of the compound. Due to the dilution that occured during the creation process, these waves are very short, affecting basically only the individual touching it." He turned, producing a silver chain from a container that sat on the table. "Put into a form such as this, a mutant's powers could be subdued for as long as it is worn." 

Ororo took the chain from Hank's hand, fingering each link. The feel of it sent a tingle through her hand that spread up her arm and dissipated as it spread throughout her body. Suddenly, the presence she knew to be her mutant powers was gone, leaving a void that left her feeling terribly empty and alone. Vulnerable. If Evan used this, would he experience the same horrible feelings? Swallowing, she raised her eyes again. "Would this help my nephew?" Her voice was soft, tight as if her throat was constricted. 

Hank sighed, pressing his lips together. "Alas, while it subdues powers, it does nothing for the outward effects of our mutations." He took the chain back into his hand, raising his eyebrows to illustrate his example. His blue fur remained entirely the same, as did his monstrous figure. "Evan would most likely not be able to create the spikes he used as projectiles, but the spikes that riddle his skin would remain." 

"I see." There was a moment of awkward silence; Hank showing his sympathy through his eyes, patient for further discussion, as Ororo stared down at her fingers.. Storm felt somewhat disappointed, but at the same time she felt relieved. It was the wrong way to go about it, she was certain now. She could vividly remember the terrible feelings, emotions, that went along with losing her powers, and she could not bring herself to think that forcing that upon Evan would be in any way beneficial to him. Besides, he had to come to terms with his mutation, not subdue it. She felt a pang of sadness within her breast; she really was helpless. She had to let him go his own way, and nothing she did now could ever bring him back before he was good and ready. Closing her eyes, she willed away the tears. Please, let him return soon. Opening her eyes, she gave Hank a weak smile. "It's.. just as well, Hank." 

He understood. Though her words were simple, he could hear in her nuance that she realized, as he had hoped, that subduing, that fighting against the mutation was futile as well as wrong. "Very well, Ororo." He quirked a smile. "And before you apologize for taking up my time, think nothing of it. It was quite interesting to work with such a unique material." 

Storm smiled, more genuine this time. "Actually, I was thinking that we might ask the professor if he knew somebody who could possibly have a use for such a development." 

***** 

Rogue fidgeted, peering down hallways as if looking for an escape route, although nobody was escorting her down to the professor's office. She had been telepathically summoned by Xavier, startled out of her deep thoughts concerning Pietro and Remy. She must have been projecting so loudly, and now, she was in trouble. She could only imagine what lecture the professor had in store for her. She hesitated outside of the door to his office, though she might as well just have walked in when Xavier called out for her to come in, startling her just as it always did. Taking a deep breath, she prepared her argument for her case and strode confidently, yet at the same time anxiously, into the room. 

Professor Xavier was not alone. Ororo and Mr. McCoy were standing solemnly by his desk, although Hank had a peculiar twinkle in his eye as he regarded her. All of her preparation dissolved into confusion. What was going on? 

"Ya summoned meh, professor?" 

"Yes, Rogue. I'm sure you are curious as to why, and I can tell you now that it is not anything concerning your love life." Rogue blushed. "For the moment." She lifted her eyes to his suddenly, but he just gave her a friendly smile. "In any case, I summoned you here to talk about your powers." 

"Mah powers? What do ya mean? I haven' had any power surges o' nothin'." She frowned. "Is there somethin' wrong?" She glanced at Hank. "Were ya doin' some experiment with mah blood? Did ya find somethin'? Ah'm gonna be too dangerous to keep around, that it?" she blurted, eyebrows furrowed in concern. 

Professor Xavier shook his head, wheeling himself forward in a calming gesture towards the girl. "Calm down, Rogue. There is no need to jump to conclusions. It is nothing like that. And besides, you will always be welcome here. We have no intention of ever turning you away." He placed a hand comfortingly on her arm. "We are your family. Relax, Rogue. What I called you here for is nothing terrible." 

"Indeed," stated Ororo. "In fact, I believe you may be quite pleasantly surprised." 

"Ah don' get it..." 

Hank chuckled, taking a step forward and carrying a small box in his hands. "Well, Rogue, a while ago, I began doing research on subduing mutant powers by request." He glanced up at Storm momentarily before returning his attention to Rogue. "The goal was to remove the physical effects of mutations. It was actually a very fascinating project, though I failed to achieve the goal. It was not a complete loss, however. Using samples of the Gems of Cytorrak that Magneto had used on Asteroid M, I created a compound that subdued mutations. It did nothing to change the external characteristics of a mutant, but, for example, Storm, under the influence of the compound, would be unable to evoke her control over the weather. In liquid form, the results are temporary. However, because of the gems natural radioactive characteristics, its solid form would emit distinct radioactive waves that could cancel out mutant powers for as long as it is kept in very close proximity." He paused, glancing at her. "Do you follow?" 

"Ah think so..." 

Hank smiled, opening the box he held and pulling out the silver chain. "Then can you guess what this is?" 

"That... that's made from th' compound thingy, ain' it?" 

"Correct!" He beamed at her proudly. 

"If Ah wear that... Ah can touch, cain't Ah?" 

"Yes, Rogue," answered Xavier, "and it is our intention to give this new development to you. With a certain agreement, mind." He pressed his fingertips together and looked at her contemplatively. "You must understand that this is not a solution for your powers, much like how Scott's glasses are not a solution for his. You still have to work for control of your powers, and you cannot grow dependent on this chain." 

Hank stepped forward. "Another thing. At best, this chain is very crude, very experimental. As a result, I will need to monitor its use. Everyday preferably, for at least the first few weeks you wear it." 

"And also," continued Xavier, "I expect you to go without the chain, for at least six hours everyday, when you work on control without the device. You must understand, Rogue, that I fear that you might grow too dependent on Hank's creation, and I cannot express that enough. You must remember that your mutation makes you who you are. You cannot lose that." 

"Ah understand, professor." 

Xavier nodded to Hank to present the chain to her. "I have complete faith in your strength, Rogue. And I trust you to not abuse or misuse this gift, as it does not release you from your responsibilities. You are still, above all else, one of the X-Men, and you are above fooling around with such an important accessory." 

Rogue stared at the delicate links of the chain. They glowed silver, but if she looked closely, she could make out the tell-tale crimson of the Gems of Cytorrak that were used in its creation. It was too good to be true. Her hear was beating so loudly that she could have sworn that if she said anything out loud, it would have been drowned out by each thump. Despite the professor's words, she could not help but think of it as her cure, her salvation from her curse. She would be able to touch! No more fear, no more loneliness; she would not have to avoid anybody for their own good. Tears began to dampen the corners of her eyes, as Remy popped into her mind; she would be able to touch HIM! Forget the scarf. She would be able to taste him, to feel the itchy stubble on his chin with her fingertips, let him hold her without the warning sirens going off about how close he was. She choked on a sob that rose in her throat; it had to be too good to be true. 

With a trembling hand, she reached forward and took the chain from Hank. It was surprisingly light, though the moment she brushed her fingers against it, she could feel a tingle that slowly dispersed throughout her whole body. It was not an entirely unwelcome feeling, but it came hand in hand with a sudden emptiness. She knew her powers were gone, as she could feel an almost tangible void deep inside of her. 

"Again, Rogue, this is very experimental. I hope to eventually create something that will let you switch its effects off and on, so that you do not have to remove it in order to have your powers once more." He gave her a toothy grin as he took the chain from her to attach it around her neck carefully, his large hands rather dextrous despite their size. "I apologize that it is not more decorative, but I trust you will be able to manage fixing that on your own. At the very least, its practical properties balance the lack of finesse, wouldn't you say?" 

Rogue fumbled with her gloves, fighting them off, a hesitant smile on her lips. Raising her eyes to Beast, she lifted her hand, pausing only milliseconds from his face. He smiled, ducking his head slightly so that her fingertips brushed against his cheek. She flinched away out of habit, but when the usual effects did not occur, she lifted her hand once more, this time pressing softly against his face. Tears fell freely from her shimmering green eyes this time and she flung her arms around Hank in a fierce hug. 

"Thank ya... Thank ya so much! Ya don' understand how much this means ta meh!" She ran excitedly around the office, giving Storm and Xavier each a hug in turn, delaying momentarily by the professor's side to give him a peck on the cheek as well. "Thank ya, professor. For everythin'. Takin' meh in, providin' meh a home. Carin' 'bout meh even though Ah'm dangerous. Ya never gave up tryin' ta help meh. Thank ya so much." She took in a shuddering breath, threatening to break down into happy sobs. "Ah love ya, Ah love all of ya!" With that, she took off, away from the office, eager to show the others what had happened. 

The three adults could only stare for a moment at the spot where Rogue had stood only moments before. Xavier smiled. "I must admit that I had my doubts in giving her the chain, but I see now that it was definitely worth it to see her so ecstatic." 

"I have never seen her so lively," remarked Ororo. 

"Indeed." Hank scratched his chin pensively. "Maybe our Rogue will be able to allow herself to feel more a part of the family now." 

Xavier hummed in soft agreement, otherwise silent. One of her last mental projects was of an image of a pair of demon eyes and the name 'Remy.' He trusted Rogue to make the right decisions, yes, but he could not help but fear her involvement with the Acolyte. While the chain was a blessing in some ways, for her and for them all, he could not help but think of the possibility of it backfiring. It was a doubt that almost brought him to want to reclaim the chain. Yet, it made her so happy, made her smile one of her rarely genuine smiles, and he could only hope that nothing went wrong. 

~~~~~~~ 

It's settled. I can't characterize the adults for the life of me. Hardly one of my favorite chapters at all. 

If any of you question the crimson (red) tint of the chain, it's referring to the fact that the gems of cytorrak are red. I think the development of the chain is believeable. Don't you think? I mean, yes, it's very convenient, but at least it wasn't created just for Rogue. Initially, it was meant for Evan. You gotta give me points for that... please..? 

This chapter just feels so awkward. *sighs* I need to work desperately on my prose. Again, I reassure myself with the fact that I am going to go back and revise and clean this story up once I finish it. That seems so far away from now. And again, this was not supposed to be longer than 10 chapters. Though admittedly, I had no idea how the plot was going to blow up like this. Funny. I'm the author. You'd think I'd have _some_ control over my own literary piece. It's as if the piece is writing me. Er, itself. It didn't quite work there. Was trying to express how the roles in the relationship between me and my writing were reversed in a witty way, but as I had to explain it, obviously I failed. 

It's been too long. I have to greet all of you like a friend I haven't seen in years. When it's only been a few days. But you have to understand the context. I used to be able to chug these babies out in a day or two. As opposed to like a week. I miss the good old days. And I feel old again. 

I made a drawing. A sort of cover type dealie for this fic. It's unfinished, really rough, un-inked and dirty. But I'll tell ya when I got the finished, inked, and cleaned up version. Man, it's smudgy. You can see it here : 

The next chapter I'm dreading, almost. And same with the one after that, though not as much. And then after that, I'm going to make some Romy fans terribly angry. TERRIBLY angry. Though certain others could be pleased... But again, I assure you, it'll turn out fine in the end, even though I don't know how I'm going to get that ending I want. I'll figure it out. Or the story will figure it out itself. Which could be better. Who knows better how it should go than the story itself? That sentence confused me terribly... 

twenty chapters and almost 200 reviews... maybe I'll hit that when I post this... :) 

thanks for the support! 

Rielyn 


	21. A Team Is Not A Family

Touching

Disclaimer: I do not own the X-Men. 

~~~~~~~ 

Rogue dashed around the corner only to bump straight into Kurt. They tumbled into a mass of blue fur and appendages that ended up awkwardly sprawled on the kitchen linoleum. Dazed, Rogue was the first to extract herself from the tangle, bouncing to her feet, her mood far from ruined. Kurt just lay there, confused, holding himself up slightly by his elbows. His sister was _bouncing_. 

"Kurt! Yah'll never believe what Ah can do now! An' it's all thanks ta th' professor and Mr. McCoy, and Ororo too." 

Kurt wobbled as he got back to his feet, his tail swishing anxiously behind him. "Vhat? Vait, Rogue, I don' understand." 

Rogue giggled, surprising the blue elf once more. All of a sudden, she pounced on him, wrapping her arms around him in a fierce hug, and he had to restrain himself from flinching away. Giving him a huge peck on the cheek, she grinned. "Ah can touch ya now, see?" He could only gawk at her. 

"Mein gott, zis must be a dream." 

Rogue shook her head happily. "Nope! It's really happenin'!" She lifted her hand and lifted the chain slightly from her neck. "It's because of this chain. So long as Ah wear it, Ah can touch ya." She released the necklace to take Nightcrawler's hand. "See?" 

"Das... das vonderful! I'm so happy for you, Rogue!" He swept her up in a hug, producing a squeal from the ecstatic girl. "Mein schweister, I can only begin to imagine vhat zis means for you. Vait till the ozzers find out!" 

Rogue giggled. "Well, what are we waitin' fo'?" 

He grinned, teleporting them both over to the rec room where he knew most of the others would be. After the smoke cleared, he released her and announced, "Everybody, you'll never believe vhat Rogue has to tell you!" 

Rogue made her announcement, brushing her fingers over random hands occasionally as if to prove its truth, though it was an act of reassurance for herself as well. Everybody was excited for her, though everyone combined could not match her own feelings in the matter. She kept repeating, "Ah can touch! Ah can touch now!" And still it felt too surreal, too much like a dream that would end way too soon. But as her friends, her family, came up to hug her, she felt how real it was. Touch was nothing less than she had ever dreamed it to be, and she had to burst into tears, sobbing into Kitty's shoulder, whose turn it was to hug and congratulate the young goth. "Oh, gawd, Ah.. Ah can touch. Ah really can!" She lifted her chin to look at Kitty. "Ah don' have ta be afraid of hurtin' ya anymore. Ah can get close ta ya, Ah can get close ta everybody." She broke down into fresh sobs. "Ah don' have ta be so lonely anymore!" 

Kitty held her friend tightly, her own tears wetting the corners of her eyes. "I'm so happy for you, Rogue. You totally deserved something like this." 

Scott smiled as he approached, next to Jean as she rested a hand on Rogue's back. "I can only imagine how good you feel," murmured Cyclops, a bit awkwardly. "I'm- we're all happy for you." 

Rogue lifted her head to look at Scott. "Ya know, this chain would work fo' ya too. If ya wear it, ya wouldn' have ta wear yo' sunglasses all th' tahme." 

"Thanks, but they gave it to you. And frankly, I really wouldn't have it any other way." He reached up to touch the frame of his glasses, his lips turned up in a half-grin. "I'm used to these anyhow." 

She smiled serenely in return, slowly turning her head to look over the beaming crowd of mutants. For the first time in a long while, she finally felt like she was home, like she belonged. "Ah.. Ah'm jus' glad that Ah ain' alone anymore." 

"But you were never really alone, Rogue," cooed Jean. "We were always here for you if you needed us." 

"Ah know... it was jus'... Ah knew yah'll were afraid o' meh," she finished softly. "An' Ah didn' wan' ta go an' mess things up." 

"You wouldn't have messed anything up," asserted Jean. "We were all aware of your situation, and we could have adjusted to accommodate fo-" 

"It's fahne," interrupted Rogue, an irritated look beginning to surface on her face. "It's all in th' past now. Things will be different, now that Ah can touch." 

"Ja, you are going to join us more often, hm?" Kurt grinned hopefully. "No more hiding away from us?" 

Rogue laughed, pulling away from Kitty to ruffle Kurt's hair. "Ah don' know 'bout that. Ta tell th' truth, Ah was only hidin' away from you!" 

"Me?" 

"Yea, cain't stand annoyin' little brothers!" 

"Ha! Now I know you're lying. Nobody can hate ze fuzzy dude, not even mein schweister!" He grabbed her and proceeded to dig his three knuckles, albeit gently, onto the top of her head. Rogue squeaked in indignation, wrestling out of the hold with a grin on her lips. 

"Whay ya.." 

"Children, children," sighed Kitty mockingly, putting herself between the two siblings. "Aren't we like above brawling? I mean, how old are we?" Rogue and Kurt smirked at eachother, before turning on Kitty, tickling her from both sides. Kitty squealed, squirming uncontrollably and falling into a mass of giggles. "Hey! No fair!" 

"All's fair in love an' war." 

"And zis is war!" 

Kurt and Rogue were about to set upon Kitty with a fresh batch of tickles, when Jean spoke up as if to deter the oncoming onslaught. "Speaking of love... Rogue, what effect will this have on your... relationship..?" 

Rogue stiffened; Kitty and Kurt both freezing in their places, their eyes flitting back and forth between Rogue and Jean. No. Not now. Things were going too well to bring that up. "It ain' none o' yo' business, Jean," murmured Rogue, a threatening tone in her voice. 

"But it is a reasonable question," added Scott, reverting to leader mode once more. Both Kitty and Kurt winced, their shoulders slumping in resignation. This was going to accelerate. "Now that you can touch, I hope you don't intend on meeting up with that... that Acolyte." He spat out Gambit's title venomously. "You know he's using you. If you give him the physical satisfaction-" 

"Ah said, it ain' none o' yo' business!" She glared at Cyclops, clenching her fists tightly by her sides. 

Jean stepped forward, placing a restraining hand on Scott. "Rogue, we're only concerned about your well-being. We don't know anything about him, and all we know is that he's dangerous." 

"Yea, but Ah know more. Ah don' know whay ya keep buttin' in! For one, ya don' even know him. An' for another, it's mah lahfe, mah choice ta make!" 

"But it's not," Scott deadpanned, his arms crossed obstinately across his chest. 

Rogue stared at him. "What did ya say? It's NOT mah choice?" 

"No, it isn't. So long as you are a part of the team, you have a responsibility to fulfill. We all do. And so you cannot be fraternizing with the enemy!" 

"An' what if Ah don' wan' ta be a part of th' team anymore?" 

"... Then, that is your choice." He turned his head away from her as if shunning her presence. "Go then. We don't need, or want, somebody who doesn't put her family first. And don't come begging us for help when he betrays you." 

"Scott!" Jean stared at Scott, shocked, before turning her gaze to Rogue. "No, Rogue, he doesn't mean that." 

Rogue ignored Jean, glaring instead at the back of Scott's head with watery eyes. "Is that so..?" She took in a shuddering breath, the tears falling reluctantly down her cheeks. "Well, fahne then! Ah don' need ya, any of ya, either! None of yah'll were ever really mah family anyway! An' ya know what? If it came down ta it, Ah would always choose Remy over yah'll. Ah... Ah choose him now!" She whirled around on her heel, dashing off towards her room. Kitty glared briefly at Scott before taking off after her, Kurt following only moments after. 

"Well, I hope you're happy, Scott," muttered Jean. "You handled that terribly." He did not answer her, instead turning sulkily further away from her. Jean sighed, glancing over to the door into which Rogue and the others had disappeared through. "You better hope that Kitty and Kurt calm her down, or else you've lost us one of the X-Men." 

***** 

Kurt teleported into Rogue and Kitty's room to find them arguing over Rogue's open suitcase. His sister was leaving. "No, Rogue!" He rushed over to her side, latching his hand onto one of the suitcase's handles. "Please don't go, don't leave me!" 

"See, Rogue? You can't leave!" 

"Watch meh." Rogue hustled back and forth, grabbing her things. 

"But Rogue...!" whined Kitty. 

"Vhere are you going? Vhere vould you stay? You don't know vhat could happen to you out zere! Mutant haters are everywhere, and.. and.. and ze mansion is ze only place for us!" 

"No, Kurt, it's not. Not fo' meh. Ah cain't stay." She closed her suitcase, filled with all of her belongings; she never really had that much to own. "This mansion was never a place fo' someone lahke meh. Ah'm different, though Ah'm not sure exactly whay. Ah'm a freak among freaks, an' 'cause o' that, Ah'll never really be trusted heah ta make the right decisions.." She sighed, looking down at her ungloved hands. "Ah thought it was 'cause o' mah powers. But apparently, it's somethin' else, somethin' under mah skin, that cain't be trusted. Maybe it's jus' meh." 

"Rogue, no, you don't understand," protested Kitty. "You do belong here. We are family-" 

"No, we're not. We're a _team_." Rogue lifted her suitcase and began heading towards the balcony. "Families trus' eachother. Families need eachother." 

"Ve do need you!" Rogue did not answer, instead continuing on her way. "Vhat Scott said, he didn't mean it. He- Rogue, listen, please... Mein schweister... _I_ need you," plead Kurt. Rogue stopped, though she refused to turn around. 

Kitty stepped up beside Kurt. "Please, don't leave us. Don't leave Kurt. Don't leave me." 

Rogue bowed her head, her voice strained. "Ah have ta, Ah cain't stay..." Firming her resolve, she strode purposefully out to the balcony. "Th' team leader has spoken." With a minute hesitation, she tossed her suitcase to the ground below, cautiously climbing down after it. Landing, she glanced up to see the two figures reluctantly watching her leave. "An' Ah'm out." She stared at them silently for a moment, as if memorizing their faces. "Goodbye." 

They watched her until in the darkness her form was too difficult to make out. Kitty burst into tears, sobbing into Kurt's shoulder, and he solemnly held her. "It's okay, Keety. She'll come back." He mournfully pressed his nose into her hair. "She has to." 

***** 

Rogue hurriedly made her way to the front gate, vaguely thinking that it was too easy for her to leave. The professor had to know. Maybe he was letting her go, maybe he did not want her either. She willed the tears to go away, but was only half successful; her eyes still shimmered with wetness. She bowed her head, refusing to take a look back at what she used to call home, and quickened her pace, only to bump into a figure that grunted gruffly at the impact. 

"Stripes? What are you doin' out here?" Rogue withdrew slightly, clutching the suitcase to her chest as if it was her lifeline. Logan arched an eyebrow, growing perturbed. "Going on a little trip?" 

"Ah'm leavin'," she whispered, afraid to meet his piercing gaze. "Ah cain't stay heah no more. None o' them trus' meh. Scott.. he said ta go, that they didn' need meh. Ah'm not wanted heah." 

"Rogue..." 

"Don' try ta stop meh, Logan, please. Don' make this harder than it already is." 

"If it's that hard, why are ya even botherin'? Don't do this, Rogue. This is yer home, ain't nowhere else you can go." 

"Please, Logan!" She tightened her fists around the handles of her suitcase. "Please..." she whispered. "Stop it." 

"But-" 

"_Let her go_," sounded Xavier's voice, inside of Logan's head. "_We cannot force her to stay if she does not wish to._" 

"_But Chuck, I can't just let 'er go._" 

"_And you can't keep her against her will!" _Logan could feel the professor sigh. "_I had hoped she could be convinced otherwise, but... Let her leave. She needs the time away_." 

Logan grunted, closing his eyes in defeat. "Okay, Stripes. I... give up. I won't stop ya." Rogue looked up at him strangely, as if confused at his sudden change of heart, but decided not to push her look and ease by him. Hesitating, she murmured her thanks before fleeing out the front gates, leaving Wolverine in silence. 

Logan growled as he looked after her departing figure. He hated letting her go like that; it did not bide well with him, especially with how sensitive and vulnerable the girl really was. Sure, she had strength, stubborn as a mule and with admirable spunk, but if he had learned anything from that episode when she lost control, it was that she needed attention and care just as much, if not more, than the other kids at the mansion. She would never ask for it, for help, though, and everybody was too afraid of her powers to approach her. Him, on the other hand, was never one to give pep talks. He wrinkled his nose, snorting as he trudged slowly towards the mansion. She would be okay. She knew how to defend herself, how to take care of herself. And she would return, soon enough. He was sure of it. 

He really was quite fond of his fellow loner; in her, he could see his own stubbornness, his own independence, and his way of dealing with his issues alone. Knowing how that went personally, he also knew that nobody should go through things like that alone. He hoped that she knew that, and also that she knew that they would always be there for her, he would always be there to listen. 

But for the meantime... He stood in the foyer, glaring at his surroundings as he unsheathed his claws. He was not out for blood. Just for sheer terror. 

With a roar, he bellowed, "Scott!" And took off running into the mansion halls. 

~~~~~~~ 

And Rogue leaves the mansion. I tried to make it hard for her; I mean, no matter how she denies it, they were her family and all. But I don't think it was hard enough. 

Lol. I was never dead and lying in a ditch. Just hampered down with life! (Yes, I do have one) This wasn't finished too much later than my last one, was it? 

So yea, this one with the X-Men again. Man, they're just out to get her, aren't they? Ok, well, actually this time, Kurt and Kitty stayed out of the accusing stuff, so it was just mainly Scott and a bit of Jean. Honestly, I don't really hate Scott or anything. I hate Jean. But like, Scott is the team leader. And I feel he would be like that. He does have a sort of temper, I feel. 

I also am not too fond of the 'newbies.' Meaning like Amara, Ray.. etc. Although, Bobby I don't mind. So while it's understood that they're there (like, when she tells everybody about her ability to touch now, it should be known that they're among her audience), that's just it, they're there. 

I haven't ever had much concerning the relationship between Logan and Rogue, but from what I gather, it's like a father/daughter almost type thing. I didn't want to lay it on real thick or anything, so I didn't have logan be like 'Oh, she's like a daughter to me, I can't stand letting her go.' I mean, I think it did it subtly and tastefully enough.. 

And people, I know about Rogue/Joseph or Rogue/Magneto whatever... but this is evo-verse-centric, and I don't see no Joseph, or a Magneto/Rogue possibility. He's just too old, too withdrawn from teen life. It wouldn't work. Besides, supposedly, Pietro/Rogue is a form of replacement for that. Supposedly. Me, I just think Pietro's damn cute. Oh, and as for pairing Pietro with somebody else at the end of this fic... I don't think that's going to happen. This is a Romy, that's the focus. Even though it's also partially triangle-ish, the Romy-ness is the emphasis of my fic. That means that I get Rogue and Remy together, and just forget about everybody else, even Pietro. Though not really, I can never really forget him. Just... unfortunately, he's not important enough to go and develop a relationship with him and someone else in this fic. And besides, I wouldn't know who with anyway. 

Ooh, yeah, I'm going to upset you Romy fans. Oh, man, like hell. Or maybe not. I don't know, crazy things can happen. Like, you just happen to overlook that chapter or something. Maybe not the next chapter, but the chapter after that or so.... I'm curious about what you're gonna say. 

Anyway, X-Men and the adults aren't gonna show up again for awhile, and I'm relieved. I like writing about Pietro and Remy and Rogue simply better. Less characters to manipulate and control. Why I'm not much of an action writer. I like head-y stuff. You know, like emotions? With lotsa characters, there's way too much going on, so I don't really get much of a chance. Have to write about what they're doing, not thinking. 

I think this is one my longest rants in awhile. I missed them... 

:) Thanks for all the reviews so far. Keep it comin'! 

Rielyn 


	22. Overnight

Touching

Disclaimer: I own nothing that belongs to whoever owns X-Men Evolution. 

~~~~~~~ 

Rogue gradually slowed, as did her temper, and found herself wandering under the shadows of Bayville high. Miserably, she made her way to a picnic table and slumped down over its rough surface. So, what now? It finally occurred to her that she had no clue as to where she was headed, or where she was going to stay. Remy would help her, he would take her in. Or at least help her somehow. But where could she find him? 

As if searching for his figure, her eyes darted around the empty school grounds, her breath and the insect chirping the only sounds that vibrated the air around her ears. It was hopeless. She would have to rough this night out on her own. No problem; she could do it. First, she had to find a place to crash. She was tempted to stay under the familiar school building, but like hell would she ever risk over-sleeping and being found by the other students looking like a homeless street urchin. It crossed her mind that, basically, she really was a homeless street urchin, now, but her pride fought it violently out of her thoughts. No, she would go somewhere else. 

Gathering up her suitcase, she wandered off, finding a park not too far away from Bayville High, complete with benches and a small playground. Small decorative street lamps illuminated the area, providing a reassuring glow, and she let herself smile slightly, though the expression did not quite reach her eyes. This would do, and tomorrow, she would catch Remy at school. Or rather afterschool, if she did not make it to class, which was looking more and more like the case the longer she thought about it. For one, she was sure she was not going to get much sleep tonight, and for another, she really did not want to see her former teammates so soon. Sighing, she set her things down on a bench and made her way to the merry-go-round, resting her hand on one of its many bars and giving it a slight push. Pursing her lips, she got on, pushing until it was spinning at a fair speed, whipping her hair about her face. What she would give to be a kid again, innocent and naive. The world was still a happy place. Briefly, she felt a desire to return home, to Caldecott County, Mississippi. But it was a foolish desire. She would not be wanted there any more than she was wanted up here. And it was not like she could return to the time before her powers manifested, before she had absorbed all of those psyches. She crumpled into a crouch, her hands still clinging to the bars of the merry-go-round. She had thought that once her powers could be controlled, once she was able to touch again, all her problems would have been solved. She could be arguably normal, at least normal for a mutant. She was a mutant; she would never forget that. As much as she may want to wish away her mutant abilities, they were what made her who she was; the professor was right about that. 

Professor Xavier. He had given her so much. And Logan, he was like a father almost. Ororo, Mr. McCoy; she knew she would miss the adults. And Kurt, Kitty. Bobby, and the rest of the newbies. Maybe even... Her mouth pulled into grimace; she would not say their names. But no, she could not have stayed there. She just could not have. It was not for her. She did not belong. They did not want nor need her there. It was not home, they were never family, as much as they tried to convince her that they were. She could not have stayed. 

Still, the doubts lingered in her mind that she had made a mistake, and she stubbornly walked off the still twirling merry-go-round, stumbling slightly over the mulch. She made her way to the swings, taking one and gently swaying back and forth. Closing her eyes and tilting her head back, she tried to let the cool night air clear her thoughts, calm her senses, when a familiar voice rang gently through the air. "Ain' it a bit late f' y' t' be payin' a visit t' de playgroun', cherie?" 

Rogue brought herself to a stop, her head spinning around to find the source of the voice, and found Remy finally, leaning against a nearby tree. "Ain' it a crime ta be playin' stalker, swamp rat?" she quipped, though by her soft smile, Remy could tell she was pleased that he was there. 

"Remy was takin' his nightly stroll, petite. What's y' excuse?" 

Rogue hesitated momentarily, as she got up from the swing to move closer to him. "Ah... Ah need a place ta stay, Remy. Ah left the X-Men." There was only a slight tremor to her soft voice, but Remy could make it out easily. He eyed her critically for a moment, the red of his pupils glowing piercingly through the darkness, and she averted her gaze slightly. "Don' ask meh why... not right now.." She lifted her eyes to his once more, and even in the darkness, he could make out the threatening well of tears in her eyes. "But could ya help meh.. please?" 

He grinned chivalrously, moving forward to caress her cheek with his gloved hand. "Of course, cherie. Remy never turn down a damsel in distress." Kissing her forehead through a lock of white hair, he nodded towards her. "C'mon, I live nearby." When she hesitated, he shook his head. "Non, it isn' Magneto's base. Got better taste den t' bunk wit' t'ree ot'er men. At leas' when de boss don' need Remy." 

She let out a soft chuckle, though it was only a ghost of her former full-hearted laugh. "Then what are we waitin' fo', swamp rat?" 

***** 

In a matter of minutes, Rogue found herself standing in a very plushly furnished apartment, in a complex that was literally moments from school. "Hey, if ya live this close, whay do ya even bother with th' motorcycle? Cain't ya jus' walk?" A black leather couch and a matching loveseat sat at an angle, pointing towards a tv that rested in the corner, by the window. In the center, there was a small rectangular chestnut coffeetable, upon which he had stacked a mess of magazines. She undid her scarf and tossed it onto said table, as if putting her mark possessively in the room. "Ya got a nice place." Through a doorway, she could make out the kitchen, panel-less cupboards revealing loads of food and ingredients; while above the sink hung a multitude of cooking utensils, and various pots and pans. A small round table sat simply in the center, accompanied by a couple of matching chairs. She wandered over, past the kitchen, to hover between the door to the bathroom and the door to the bedroom. 

Remy smirked as he flopped down onto his couch, letting her explore. "T'anks, petite. An' oui, Remy could walk, mais where's de fun in dat? De filles, dey like de bike." He idly picked up a magazine and pretended to flip through it, though his eyes were clearly watching her. "'Sides, Remy don' do walkin' t' school." 

Rogue snorted in reply, glancing into the bathroom. It was scented slightly with vanilla, enough to be delightful, but not too much to be overpowering. He was equipped with the usual facilities: bath, toilet, and sink; but what made it Remy were the candles that decorated the sink and around the tub. It was spacey, and Rogue could not help thinking that it was meant to be shared. A smirk crossed her lips at that, and she turned to enter the bedroom. The only light came from two lamps that were hung on the wall on either side of the bed, providing a soft sensual glow; moodlighting. A large king-sized bed graced the center of the room, complete with large fluffy pillows and crimson-colored satin sheets. Rogue felt her face heat up as she stared, its purpose obvious, and she took a few steps towards the balcony to divert her attention. She could feel the dark cushiony carpet spring under her feet as she took note of the paintings on the walls, impressive replicas, or rather, if she knew Remy, originals. A couple of decorative ferns grew in expensive china pots in the corners of the room, and Rogue could see through the sliding glass doors that they were on the balcony too. 

She was in the process of peering outside through the glass, her nose almost touching the window, when Remy interrupted her thoughts. "Y' can see almost everyt'ing from dere." He came up beside her, giving her a wink as he smoothly unlocked the door with a click, sliding it open. "Let's go f' a look-see, hm? It'd be very romantic." He emphasized his last word, grinning and bowing his head slightly with a sweep of his hand that said, 'After you, cherie.' 

She smirked, tossing her hair as she passed by him to step out onto the balcony. They were several floors up, his apartment being on the highest floor of the apartment complex, and the view was incredible. The moon lightly frosted the landscape with a soft silvery radiance, and the stars twinkled brightly against the distant horizon, where the blue-black sky met the earth. It was an awing scene. The high school looked almost like it was directly below them, and she could make out the decrepit-looking brotherhood house, a fair distance away from where they stood. In a slightly different direction, she could make out the shape of the mansion, her former home. She turned her head away suddenly, closing her eyes tightly against the sight. 

"Chere.." whispered Remy, as he came up behind her, slipping his arms carefully around her waist. "What's wrong?" 

She took in a shuddering breath and leaned back against him. "Remy..." 

"Tell me, petite." 

"Ah had ta leave th' mansion. Ah jus'... They didn' want meh. Ah couldn' stay." 

"They didn' wan' y'? Chere, y' sure?" 

"Gawd, Remy, don' argue with meh right now, please!" She pulled away from him, slumping over the balcony railing. "Scott said so. They didn' trus' meh, they didn' want meh. Even though Ah can touch now." 

Remy blinked, freezing. "Y' can what?" 

"Touch, Remy." Rogue stood up straighter and turned towards him, extending her bare hand towards his cheek. He looked at her warily, not quite believing her. "It's okay, Remy. Mr. McCoy and th' professor, they gave meh this chain," she gestured towards her neck with her free hand, "and it negates mah powers." She leaned forward and caressed his cheek, her eyes fluttering to a close and her lips curving into a smile as she felt the stubble rub coarsely across her palm. "See?" 

Remy lifted his hand to hold hers against his face, revelling in how soft her skin was. Never had he ever imagined how peaceful, how purely in love her touch could really make him feel. He stared at her, and her brilliant green eyes lifted to meet his piercing red. He could have her now. He could take her, and forever could he boast that he had touched the untouchable. He took a stumbling step towards her, extending his arms so that his hands held her face. He would take her. Take her and then leave, like he did so many times before. She was routine. He had no attachment. He would leave her in the morning, and she would soon be forgotten like all the others. He pulled back a bit to remove his gloves, letting them drop to the floor as he caressed her cheek once more. But why was his heart beating like this? Like a heavy drum, threatening to break out of his chest. Why was he feeling so dizzy, so intoxicated, drunk with her touch, though they only amounted so far to a gentle brush, skin against skin? Why didn't he feel the normal carnal urges, to almost violently take what he wanted from her body, to ravage her all night and into the early morning? Instead, he wanted to hold her, caress her gently, touch his lips to hers, instead of probing deeply with his tongue. He wanted to love her. 

It scared him, and when he noticed her leaning forward, tilting her head up to ask for his lips on hers, he broke away suddenly. "Non, Rogue," he choked. "Not like dis." 

Hurt crossed her eyes and she began to close up again. "Why not?" 

"It's not right, chere." His eyes darted along the ground as he searched for an excuse, a way to stall. "It's not de right moment. I want... I want our first real kiss t' be somet'ing memorable, somet'ing real romantic." 

"Ah thought ya said that this balcony heah was romantic." 

"Non, chere. It's not perfect 'nough." He extended his hand, his usual smirk plastered on his face, though his lips twitched with the effort. "It's gettin' late, an' don' we have school t'morrow?" 

She hesitated, but reluctantly took his hand, allowing him to take her inside. He released her to close and secure the glass door, leaving her to look at the bed. "Remy..." 

He turned to look at her, glancing over at what she was looking at. "Non, petite, not t'night." He gave her a half-hearted grin, but had to duck his head to hide the strained look in his eyes. He tried to put his usual teasing tone into his voice, and only barely succeeded. "Remy too tired... mais, if y' wan' t' do all de work..." 

Rogue's face burned a deep crimson and she shoved him away roughly. "Ya perv!" She stepped over to sit on the bed, running her fingers gently through the soft fabric. "Ah wasn' gonna ask fo' that." She lifted her eyes to his, and he all of a sudden felt arrested, frozen to the spot by the startling green. "But... could ya... I mean, would it be okay if ya.. if ya held meh tonight?" 

She was not going to make things easy on him, was she? A part of him questioned why he was even hesitating, but at the same time, he was afraid about what it would end up making him feel. "Be my pleasure, cherie." He wagged his eyebrows. "But y' sure y' trus' Remy?" 

Rogue looked at him silently for a moment, before she answered, completely serious. "With all of mah heart." 

Remy's breath hitched and he cleared his throat to disguise it. "Yea..." 

***** 

He lay awake long after Rogue had already left for the land of dreams. She slept in his arms in a t-shirt and a pair of shorts, while he had slipped on a wifebeater and a pair of loose drawstring pants. He actually had felt awkward as she laid herself down beside him, letting his arms drape loosely around her body, tentatively at first. Never before had he felt this attuned to her every move or this anxious about sleeping next to a girl. Was she uncomfortable? Was he too close? Was he holding her too tight, too inappropriately? She had murmured a few words sleepily, but he did not hear them, merely grunting to make the impression that he was listening; he could not concentrate or focus enough for pillow talk. It was a relief when she finally fell asleep. 

Releasing one arm, he flopped over onto his back, though his other arm was trapped, acting as a pillow for Rogue. He stared up at the ceiling, and consequently the mirror that he had erected up there. He was surprised that Rogue had missed it; she would have had a pretty comment about it, no doubt. Heaving a tortured sigh, he looked at himself lift his hand to clutch at his unruly hair, watched the satin rustle underneath his body, stared at the contrast of dark ruby sheets tangled with the soft pale cream flesh that was the girl lying next to him. Turning his head, he gazed at her peaceful face and felt her soft breath blowing evenly against his skin. Her shirt had ridden up slightly, and before he thought about it, he found himself tugging it down. 

What was happening? What did she do to him? Closing his eyes, he flopped onto his back once more, swallowing. This had to stop. Forget the game, forget everything. There was no new goal of going further with her; the 'relationship' was ending now. 

***** 

Rogue woke up cold, and alone, on Remy's bed. Oh look, a mirror on the ceiling. She giggled almost childishly to herself before curiously peering over to the other side of the bed, distinctively cajun-less. Scrubbing her eyes groggily, she pushed herself up into a sitting position, untangling her legs from the sheets. Where did he go? She had figured him to be the kind of guy that liked to stay in bed in the morning, especially when he had a female companion. But maybe she figured wrong. Creeping up to the door that led to the rest of the apartment, she found him sitting in the kitchen, staring at his uneaten bowl of cereal that was getting real soggy by the looks of it. "Remy?" His head jerked up at her voice, and she could see dark circles under his eyes. "Remy, ya look lahke ya didn' sleep a wink las' night." 

He smirked bitterly, getting up to toss his still full bowl into the sink. "Dat's prob'ly 'cause I didn'." 

"Why not? What's wrong, Remy?" 

"Rogue... I.." He squeezed his eyes shut. This shouldn't even be this hard. "It has t' end," he whispered. 

"What? What has ta end?" She approached him, paling. "What are ya talkin' 'bout, Remy?" 

He turned away, making a few agitated movements like a cornered animal. "Dis relationship." He swallowed, pushing past her to the living room. "It's over, chere." 

A chill ran through Rogue's frame and she visibly trembled. "What, why?" 

"I'm jus' not..." He clenched his fist, willing himself to repeat the words he had been working out just a few moments ago. "I'm not int'rested in y' no more. Y' were.." He choked slightly on the words. "Y' were only a challenge, but now dat y' can touch, y' ain' much o' a challenge now, are y'?" 

She stared at his back for a moment before she muttered, "Ah don' believe ya." She ran up to him, tugging at his shirt. "Ah don' believe ya! Yah're doin' this, Ah know, 'cause ya think yah're doin' meh a favor, ya think that things'd be better fo' meh without ya, but-" 

"Mais, t'ings would be better!" He whirled to face her, his eyes blazing with pain. "Y' don' understand. I'm de bad guy, chere. I'm no good f' y'." 

Rogue laughed bitterly. "Remy, yah're th' _only_ thing good fo' meh." 

"Non, petite. Y' are wrong." He grabbed her suitcase and shoved it into her arms. "Go on. It's over." 

Rogue looked down at her suitcase, large tears pooling in her eyes. "Why are ya doin' this, Remy..?" Suddenly, she dropped her bag and flung herself at him, the momentum driving Remy back onto the couch. She beat at his chest wildly, flinging hot tears from her eyes, and punctuating each beat of her fist with a loud "why?" For a moment, he let her beat him, but then he caught her arms and held them still. They remained frozen in place for awhile as tears dripped down from Rogue's cheeks onto Remy's face, until Remy broke the silence. 

"Go, chere," he whispered, though from the look in her eyes, he could tell that she was not going to listen. Yet he had to make her go. He had to, somehow. His eyes flickered over to the chain that hung from her neck as she pulled herself away, and he flexed his dexterous fingers slightly. 

"No, Remy. Ya love meh, an' Ah love ya. An' 'cause o' that, we can make it work." 

"But Remy don' really love y', petite." 

Rogue took in a sharp breath. "... Yes, ya do," whimpered Rogue pleadingly. "Ya told meh so.." 

"Remy lied." 

"...What..?" 

"I don' love y', petite." He forced his lips into an infuriating smirk. "It was all a game t' see if I could get what others couldn'." He saw her clench and unclench her fists, tremors running through her body. "An' as always, Remy won. De game is over, an' he done wit' y'. It was jus' a game, so jus' give it up, chere. At least it was fun, oui?" 

"Stop it, Remy, Ah don' believe ya!" She swung her hand to slap him hard. "It isn' tru-" Her words halted as she felt a familiar pull once her bare hand came in contact with his face. The cajun's memories flowed into her mind and a sharp burning feeling rushed to her hands, causing her to cry out in shock and pain. Her powers were back, the necklace wasn't working! As Remy passed out, she jerked back, falling unceremoniously onto her rear and slamming into the coffeetable. Her hand fell onto a couple of magazines, instantly charging them, forcing her to fling them away. The explosions made a mess out of his living room and Rogue was forced to shield her face from the debris. She lay there, crumpled with her face buried in her arms, the silence after the explosions overpowering. But soon, her body began shaking with angry sobs. Images from Remy's memories ran through her mind, his thoughts, his amusement. His lies. It had been just a brief skin to skin encounter, but it showed her everything. Pietro was right. He was right all along. Remy did not love her; it was just a game. All just a game. From the very beginning, Gambit had played her for a fool. He had lied to her, played with her emotions, and had her wrapped around his little finger. And that was all he wanted; entertainment was his only goal. She meant nothing to him, he did not love her. It was just a lie; mere words to manipulate her the way he wanted. He did not love her. Her heart felt crushed and ripped into shreds, the pieces settling uncomfortably in the pit of her stomach. He never did love her, and he had only stayed around this long because she was a good game. She gave him a sort of satisfaction that he did not get with other girls; he had used her. She scrubbed her arm across her tear-stained cheeks, but more tears replaced the ones she dried. How could he do this to her? How could he? How COULD he? 

She shoved herself up onto wobbly legs, seething with anger and disgust for the unconscious man on the couch. He began stirring slightly, and Rogue could feel the burning sensations beginning to fade. She opened her mouth to spit out spiteful words towards him, but when he started to murmur in his discomfort, clutching his head because of the headache that he undoubtedly was no suffering, she suddenly felt that she could not bear to be around him. She did not dare to listen to his voice or risk looking into the eyes that she had fallen so hard for. She dropped her eyes away from his form, beginning to move away when a silver gleam caught her glance. Her chain was lying on the floor near her feet. Instinctively, she lifted a hand to her neck as she scooped up the chain, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion; her neck was bare. It had fallen off? 

"Rogue...?" His raspy voice startled her out of her thoughts and she felt the urge to flee again. He had used her. He did not love her. He never loved her. Choking on an anguished sob, she whirled around on her toes and dashed away, leaving him behind, her suitcase forgotten in her rush to get as far away from him as possible. Remy groaned as the door slammed after her, the sound crashing through his eardrums and making his headache all the more painful. When he dared to open his eyes, he shut them immediately afterwards upon seeing the damage to his living room. His tv was gone, as was his window. Instead, there was a fairly gaping hole in the wall where they used to be, decorated with scorchmarks, and the debris littered the room. She must have absorbed some of his power too. He hadn't quite considered that, just that she would get some of his memories. But it was no big deal. He could just as easily fix the damage, or just move to a different apartment. She absorbed his memories, and that was the important part. He had focused on the past few days with her, and on his amusement, his manipulation, his lies; hoping that she would catch little of his current confusion if any at all. And if her running out of the room in heart-rending sobs was any indication, he had been successful. 

He opened his eyes to stare at the ceiling. She was gone. Most likely never to come back, to him. She was gone, and she would never be his again. What did he care? Nothing! He did not care! She was just another girl. He would move on in a matter of days; in fact, tomorrow he expected to have another girl draped over his arm. Rogue did not matter anymore, she never did. 

Suddenly, the wind from the gaping hole in the wall picked up the scarf that he had given Rogue from where it was sitting on the coffee table and cloaked it partially over Remy's face. He jerked up, startled at the sudden green tint to his vision, and lifted his hand to take the piece of cloth in his hand. Her scent wafted up from the fabric, and he felt a pang of something, regret maybe, tremble inside of him. God, he missed her already. 

~~~~~~~ 

Long chapter, yea? I had to get her through the night somehow. And I didn't want her sleeping in a park. Not exactly romy fluff or whatever you call it, though. 

I kinda don't have a rant right now. 

I don't know what to say about what she absorbed. I just had to have her absorb him, and see the lies that he had told her, to cement the break up. A lot of repetition that he did not love her, mainly to emphasize that's what really tore her up. He hasn't admitted to himself that he loves her yet, so I figure the way he insists to himself that he doesn't would get transferred to her too. 

Wow, talk about pressuring me to update, ladyvader. Hey, I can't churn these out any faster! It's a touchy time in the story. Can't rush through them. So, no dying. Or else you won't see the ending. ;) 

Heh, I liked the 'wasn't out for blood, just sheer terror' too. Unfortunately, I'm not going to be writing about how Logan chases Scott down. Oh, and it wasn't all Scott's doing. Jean started it. Really, I don't hate Scott. Just Jean. 

Yeah, I want to get to the romy-ness too. But gonna have to wait a long time for that. Not sure if I count this chapter as romy-ness at all. It will be Romy in the end! 

So Rogue's in a bind now. Where's she going to go? 

I'll give you one guess... :p 

Rielyn 

Oh, and this chapter wasn't what Romy fans were going to kill me over... 


	23. Losing Herself

Touching

Disclaimer: I do not own X-Men Evolution. Also, if you romy fans kill me, just know that I won't be able to finish this fic and therefore Rogue and Remy won't get back together! 

~~~~~~~ 

Pietro muttered sullenly under his breath as he glared angrily at a small rock that just happened to be sittng in front of him. Swinging his toe at the offending pebble, he wondered how things could have gone so wrong. Taryn was upset with him, and things had started off so well too. They had slipped away at the beginning of the lunch period for some 'private time,' but in the heat of passion, he had called out Rogue's name. He apologized profusely, but she merely replied with obscenities and stormed back into school, leaving him in the foul mood he was currently brooding in. 

Why did he have to do that? He always just had to open his big mouth; but, damnit, he could not get Rogue out of his mind. He still had the same feelings for her that he had before. Taryn, he had no emotional attachment to her; their 'relationship' was purely physical and neither of them really minded. Yet he had hoped that it would be enough for him to move on. Here was a girl he could touch, kiss, and be satisfied with in a way that the untouchable goth could never manage. But then again, his interest in Rogue went beyond such a mundane physical desire. Sighing, he dropped himself carelessly to sit at a picnic table, letting his forehead hit the rough surface. He missed Rogue. 

Clenching his jaw and balling his hands into fists, he pushed himself upright. He was doing it again; he was moping over some girl. Just some girl. Checking his watch, he found that lunch was not over yet; he still had time to go convince Taryn to forgive him. If he thought about it, Taryn was not so bad. He could fall for her yet. She was pretty, after all, and she had her own kind of spunk. What did Rogue have that she did not, anyway? He could grow to love her. Maybe. 

He found her in the cafeteria, sitting with a group of her friends. Affecting a remorseful puppy dog look in his expression, he trotted over with his metaphorical tail between his legs. "Taryn, I need to talk to you, in private." His eyes flitted briefly over the faces of her friends; they were giving him dark looks. 

Taryn sighed in annoyance. "Can't you see that I'm busy right now, Pietro?" 

"Please?" 

"..Fine. Let's go outside." 

***** 

"So what's the deal, Pietro?" She stood in front of him, arms crossed and tapping her foot impatiently. 

"Look, Taryn, I'm sorry." 

"You think that's gonna cut it? One, you said another girl's name while we were heavily making out, and two, it was that weirdo goth girl! What were you thinking? Do I look anything like that freak?" She laughed condescendingly. "I'm sorry, Pietro, you're a good kisser and all, but not good enough for me to forgive you just like that." 

"Then how do I convince you to take me back?" 

"You don't." She smirked, tossing her hair as she spun on her heel to walk away. 

Pietro matched her smirk and zipped over, scooping her up into his arms. "But sweetcheeks, I'm prepared to make it up to you." He leaned in, raising his eyebrows suggestively. "It'd be worth your while. And I know you can't stay mad at me for long." 

Taryn chewed on her lip provocatively, keeping her eyes locked on his. "You sound so sure." 

"That's because I am." Dipping his head, he kissed her soundly. When he pulled away, she was grinning slyly up at him. 

"I'm not letting you off that easy." She slipped out of his hold, letting her fingers linger in his palm as she stepped away. "Tonight at seven. My house. You'll have your chance to 'make it up to me' then." With that, she sauntered away, leaving Pietro to watch her swaying hips depart. 

As soon as she disappeared into the school, Pietro laughed triumphantly, sending an innocent pebble sailing with a broad kick. Was he good, or was he good? Neither! He was great! He was such a lady-killer; nobody could resist his charm. Suddenly, as if to knock some sense into him, a figure collided harshly with his back, sending them both rolling in a violent tangle. Pietro freed himself first, though that could be attributed either to his speed or the fact that his 'assailant' did not even try to get up. "Excuse me?! Watch where you're goin', why don't you?" His eyes fell over the crumpled form, clad only in a t-shirt and a pair of shorts. Upon further examination, he caught sight of a rather distinctive hair color and his breath caught in his throat. "Rogue?" he choked out. 

She shifted slightly, lifting her tear-streaked face to look up at him. "P-Pietro?" 

Alarmed, he rushed to her side, keeping only a wary distance from her bare skin. "Rogue! What happened? Why are you dressed like this? Why are you crying? Are you hurt? Gambit hurt you, didn't he? What did he do? Where is that bastard?" His mouth ran, and he almost got to his feet to let his legs do the same when Rogue latched onto his shirt, shaking her head frantically. 

"No, Pietro. No.." Her tone was anguished, filled with despair. 

"No? No what?" 

"No!" she repeated, breaking down into sobs again. "Please..." 

Pietro fought awkwardly to find a way to hold the hysterical girl, starting only briefly when his bare hand came in contact with her skin with no absorptive reactions. She willingly fell into his arms, weeping uncontrollably into his chest. "What happened, Rogue?" he murmured gently, helplessly. "...You're a real mess. I should.. Hey, let me take you home, c'mon." 

Rogue jerked up at that. "No, no, Ah cain't, Pietro!" 

"What? You can't what? Go back to the mansion? Why not?" His voice rose as he grew more agitated. "What the hell happened, Rogue? Tell me, damnit!" 

She just sobbed louder. "Ah cain't, Pietro. They don' want meh, they don' wan' meh! Ah cain't go back, Ah chose Remy. Ah chose Remy over them. Ah don' wan' ta go back. An' Ah cain't." She buried her face into his shoulder, her tears soaking into the material. 

Pietro sighed. "I don't understand." 

"Ah don' want ta.. please..." She hiccupped and clung more tightly onto his body. 

He pursed his lips. "Then where...?" 

***** 

Pietro let Rogue down gently onto his bed, and she immediately curled up against his pillow. She had cried herself into a restless slumber in his arms on the way to the brotherhood house; where else could he have taken her? It was a good thing the others were still in school. He did not want to deal with X-Men vs. Brotherhood politics right now. Rogue whimpered in her sleep and he came out of his thoughts to run his hand soothingly through her two-toned hair, letting his fingers dwell momentarily at the feathery soft ends. 

Figures. He still loved her. He really did. After all of his attempts to just give up on her, to move on, she just strolls, or rather charges, back in and he's back to fawning over her. His mouth twitched into a soft smile as he gazed down at the girl tangled up in his sheets, but it faded when he saw a gleam of silver lying on the bed next to her. Reaching for it, his eyebrows furrowed curiously. A necklace? Rogue must have dropped it whe- his thoughts came to a halt when he took it into his hand, startled at the tingle, though painless, that dispersed throughout his body at its touch. Suddenly, he felt horribly empty, like a part of him had been lost all of a sudden. And then he just knew that what was missing were his mutant abilities. It made him feel slightly sick, though that might have been his normally quick metabolism catching up with him, or rather, slowing down. It was disorienting. His bright blue eyes considered the accessory that he held in his hand, fighting the urge to fling it away. So this was why he was able to touch her earlier. 

He frowned. She could touch, and without a doubt, she went to share it with Gambit. His mind flashed him the image of her in the hysterical tears that he found her in and could only think of one thing: Gambit violated her. He clenched his fists angrily, his fingers closing tightly around the chain. That bastard. He would pay, he would suffer for hurting her. 

Rogue stirred in her sleep, kicking off the blanket in the process, and Pietro's attention snapped back to the girl. Vengeance could wait. He had to take care of Rogue first. "I'm here for you, Roguey," he whispered. "Like I promised." 

***** 

Rogue let her eyes flutter open, staring up at the cracked ceiling above her. Well, she could tell she was not in Remy's bed. If the lack of mirror was not an indication, then clearly the simple cotton sheets were. Where was she then? She pushed herself into a sitting position, pulling up the fleece blanket up over her shoulders. The room itself was barely kept, the paint peeling and cracked, the window permanently stuck in a diagonal half open state. The furnishings were practical and sparse, also in pitiful states. In fact, there were pieces of what used to be a lamp lying scattered on the ground across from where she lay. A plain desk and dresser sat partnered by the window, opposite a small closet and a full-length mirror, the only well-kept piece in the room. It all looked rather familiar to her, and a beat later she realized that she must be in the Brotherhood house. More specifically, Pietro's room. That would explain the unscathed mirror. Rogue relaxed; she would be fine here. 

Wrapping her arms around her legs, she rested her chin on her knees as she drifted off into a miserable stupor. She could not believe it. Remy had seemed so genuine that she had had no choice but to trust and believe in him. who knew that he was just a lying dirtbag who knew exactly what to say, and would go ahead and say it? Furthermore, who knew that giving her the ability to touch would give her more problems than it was worth? She was beginning to regret that Mr. McCoy had given her the- wait, where was the chain? She jolted her head up, staring in disbelief into her empty hand. Oh no. She had been clinging to it like her life depended on it, but where was it now? If she lost that gift, she was in for a far worse day than she thought. She began rummaging around the sheets of the bed, tears appearing in her eyes as she shoved the pillows onto the floor in what was becoming a purely fruitless search. 

Dread was beginning to form in the pit of her stomach when a voice rang out from the doorway. "I think you're looking for this." Rogue lifted her eyes just in time to catch a small black velvet pouch; a brief investigation revealing its contents to be the chain she was searching for. "You had quite a hold on it, until I placed you on my bed." Pietro smirked playfully, though his eyes remained completely serious. "Something about my bed comforts you. Maybe you should be in it more often." 

Rogue did not respond for a bit as she took the necklace and fastened around her collar. She shivered as she felt the unpleasant yet welcome feeling of loss that marked the departure of her powers. When she did speak, her voice was hoarse and uncharacteristically meek. "Thank ya.." 

He came over to sit beside her on the bed, scooping up the fallen pillows in the process. "That's what allows you to touch, isn't it?" She nodded in the affirmative, taking a pillow that he offered to her and hugging it automatically to her chest. "I experienced its effects when I picked it up off the bed. Maybe I should get one of my own; help me to have some patience, yeah? Where'd you get something like that anyway?" She did not respond and his idle banter faded, his voice softening as he switched tactics. "Rogue, what happened to you? Why can't you go back to the mansion? It's Gambit's fault, isn't it? What did he do to you? Tell me, what he did. I knew that this was going to happen." 

Rogue stiffened. "Leave meh alone, Pietro. Look, Ah ain' gonna say that ya were right, an' don' ya dare go an' say that ya tol' meh so," she spat, turning her body away from him. "Ah ain' gonna stand fo' it." 

Pietro's temper flared. "Excuse me? You were just thanking me a moment ago, and now you're full of attitude? What the hell is this? How ungrateful can you be?" 

"Ah said thank ya, didn't Ah? What more do ya want from meh?" 

"A little respect and consideration would be a start! I mean, I didn't have to let you stay here!" 

"Well, ya don' have ta yell at meh neither! Please, jus' leave meh alone!" She broke down into fitful sobs, and instantly Pietro regretted losing his temper. 

He gathered her into his arms, letting her cry into his shoulder. "Shh, Roguey. I'm sorry. Shh, I'm sorry." He rocked her back and forth gently, murmuring soothingly until her sobs subsided. He pulled back to dry her tears with his thumb, and despite her grief, Rogue found herself enjoying the gentle caress. "Look, the guys know you're here, and Fred's making you dinner. He should be up here soon, but otherwise you should be left alone, unless you want company." He smiled softly down at her, letting his fingers hold her chin gently. "That sound good?" 

Rogue pulled her chin out of his fingers but returned his gentle smile. "Yeah." 

There was a bit of awkward silence that separated them for a beat. "Do you... need some time alone..?" He trailed off slightly, not wanting to leave and hoping she would not ask him to. 

She nodded the affirmative after a moment's consideration, averting her gaze. "If ya don' mind..." 

"Alright. Fred should be up here soon, and if you need anything, I'll be right downstairs." He held her for a lingering moment longer before he withdrew to the door, feeling awkward. Rogue had to smile. 

"Pietro?" 

He hesitated, glancing back at her questioningly. "Yeah? You need something?" 

"No.. jus'.. thank ya. An' Ah mean it." 

Pietro gave her a serene smile before it turned into a coy grin. "No problem, skunkhead." He winked at her. "Now do me a favor and don't stink up my sheets too badly, kay?" 

Rogue huffed indignantly, scrambling for a pillow and tossing it at the cocky young man, but he had already zipped downstairs and her fluffy missile ended up instead on top of Fred's head. He had been climbing up the stairs behind Pietro with her dinner in hand. "Oh, Fred! Ah'm sorry!" 

He grinned crookedly at her, lifting the pillow from his head with one hand as he balanced his tray of food in the other. "That's okay. I brought your food." 

***** 

Rogue tossed and turned as she tried to fall asleep. The rest of the afternoon had been rather uneventful; Pietro was true to his word, the Brotherhood members kept their distance. In fact, after Fred had left, she had seen neither hide nor tail of any of them, not even Pietro. It was not exactly an unwelcome loneliness that resulted, yet she still half-wished for someone to talk to. Instead, she was left to her dreary thoughts; remembering, and then, when she did not want to remember anymore, trying to figure out what her next move should be. Basically, she spent her time staring thoughtfully out of the window, watching the sun set when the time came, and then looking up at the starry sky. When she finally tired, she tried to visit the land of dreams, though her attempts were failures at best. 

Rogue sighed, quitting her restlessness. She felt so empty; everything was so bleak. Her past, her present, her future. Especially her future. Even now that she had the ability to touch, things were not as perfect as they should have been. She clenched her fists. She did not understand it. She could touch now; her life should be fixed, it should be perfect, almost like the life of snotty Jean Grey. But no. Instead, she hurt more than ever. It hurt just thinking about it. God, she did not want to think anymore. 

She pushed herself out of bed, moving towards the door. Maybe some warm milk or something could help her to fall into a hopefully dreamless sleep. She slipped out of the room noiselessly, glancing tensely around to see if she ran the risk of waking anybody. When it seemed safe, she padded downstairs into kitchen, and was looking inside the refrigerator when a voice, though only slightly above a whisper, made her jump. "Shouldn't you be sleeping?" 

"Shouldn't you?" Rogue muttered as she closed the refrigerator door to glare at Pietro. "Ya lahke ta startle meh, don' ya?" 

"What can I say? It's fun." He smirked, crossing his arms as he leaned against the doorway. "And I would be sleeping if a certain skunkhead wasn't creeping around the house at night." 

"Well, Ah was bein' quiet." 

"And I was just on the couch. Not too comfortable, so I can safely say that I wasn't sleeping too deeply." Rogue snorted as she re-opened the fridge to retrieve the carton of milk. "Going to make yourself a cup of warm milk?" 

"Yeah. Ah couldn' sleep." 

"Here, you go sit down. Let me." He took the carton from her and shooed her off to sit at the kitchen table. "Why couldn't you sleep?" 

"What are ya, mah new personal psychologist? What business is it of yoahs?" 

"I was hoping to maybe get some blackmail material," he quipped as he placed two mugs of milk into the microwave. Rogue rolled her eyes as he turned to face her. "Seriously, though, you really were a mess earlier." He coughed, his voice lowering. "And I'm.. I was.. well, concerned about you." 

Rogue's mouth twitched into a half-smile before she sighed and let it fade. "Ah jus' think too much." 

"About what?" 

"Ah really don' want ta talk about it right now, Pietro." 

"That bad, huh?" 

Rogue glowered at the kitchen table in front of her. "Ok, so Gambit used meh an' played meh fo' a fool. Ya were right, Pietro. Ya were right all along. There, ya satisfied? Will ya leave meh alone now?" 

"Rogue!" He stepped over to her, taking her face in his hands. "That's not... I don't mean to give you the impression that that's what I want to hear. I really am concerned for you, Rogue. I'm here for you, I'm here to listen, not to give you further grief." 

She sighed, pulling her face away from his hold. "Ah'm sorry, Pietro. Ah'm just... Ah'm jus'.. real sensitive right now. Ah don' mean ta take it out on ya. But Ah jus' don' want ta talk about it, right now." 

The microwave signaled the end of its task and Pietro retrieved the two mugs to place between them on the kitchen table. "Reasonable enough." They quietly sipped on their drinks, letting the silence take over. Pietro glanced over at her, looking over the soft curves of her face, her slightly puffy eyes, and her pink pouty lips. Did she have to always look so beautiful? Even when her eyes were red and puffy from crying, even though her lips were down turned in an anguished cry, he found himself drawn to her. It was a terrible addiction. And the fact that she could touch, and be touched, rang consistently through his mind, evoking thoughts that almost turned his cheeks pink. She was so soft, and already he could not help but touch her whenever he got the chance. Rogue looked up and he quickly returned his gaze to his mug, trying to keep his face as neutral as possible. 

"So, uh.. How are things with ya an'... an' Taryn..?" 

"Taryn?" He raised his chin to stare at her blankly for a moment before it hit him. "Oh, Taryn! Oh shit, I forgot!" 

"Forgot what?" 

"I was supposed to... to go see her this afternoon, but.. well, you popped up." 

"Oh. Ah'm sorry..." 

"No, don't be." He quirked a smile, reaching over to cover one of her hands with his. "Truth is, I'd rather be here with you than with her any day." It was the truth. He had to admit, he was only using Taryn, trying to lose himself in physical pleasure. But it had not worked; it would never work. 

Rogue blushed, coughing as she ducked her head to hide her flustered expression, pulling her hand away. "So... uh... when did ya two get together?" 

Pietro sighed. "Well, it's not like we're together, officially that is." He wrinkled his nose. "It wasn't like that. Well, maybe for her, but.. well, then again... Oh, I don't know." 

She tilted her head, looking at him curiously. "Ya can tell meh, Pietro." 

"Well, you see.." He swallowed, staring pointedly at his mug. "The only reason... I was only with her because... I was... I was trying to get over you, Rogue. I mean, it was only a physical relationship..." he trailed off again. What did she care about that? Why was he trying to justify himself? 

"Oh." She suddenly regretted asking, and yet at the same time she felt, what was it, jealousy? She felt jealous that he had kissed Taryn, touched Taryn, and she, him. She felt possessive, though Pietro was anything but hers, even though he had allegedly done it to get over her. It was an unfair and unreasonable emotion, but one she could not help but to feel, especially when she looked up to see his handsome features. 

Why couldn't she have fallen for him, instead of the womanizing cajun? Pietro had been nothing but sweet and considerate towards her. He could be trusted, and he loved her. He loved her. She could tell that he still did, with the way he looked at her, the way he touched her whenever he found the opportunity to. Yet it was so chaste, so clean. His touch felt innocent, only wanting to touch, nothing more; unlike Remy's hot caresses that spoke of the nighttime adventures that he offered. Pietro loved her. It made her feel almost uncomfortable, but at the same time, she recalled the emotions that she felt when he had confessed his love in what seemed so long ago. She wanted to love him back. 

"It's getting late..." Pietro's voice brought her back to reality. He got up and took their empty mugs to deposit them in the sink, left for the morning or for the following days. "You'll feel better in the morning, you know." Rogue nodded as she got up, hesitating slightly before heading quietly upstairs with Pietro following behind her. That fact alone made her heart begin to pound nervously, her whole body tense. Where was he going? "You should at least consider talking to me, Rogue. Like I said, I'd like to be here for you if you need me to be. You don't have to go through this alone." 

"Ah know..." Upon entering the bedroom, she went over to take a seat on the bed, looking apprehensively over at the young man who remained at the doorway. What happened now? Why did he follow her anyway? "Pietro... Ah..." 

"I'm just going to tuck you in, Rogue. Don't worry." He smirked knowingly at her, and she blushed, feeling sheepish. 

"Oh.. Ah knew that..." She slid her legs under the covers as he came over, smoothing the blankets as he took a seat beside her on the bed. "Ah jus' wanted ta thank ya again, that's all." 

He smiled, reaching over to run his fingers gently down the side of her face. "I know. You're welcome." 

There was a moment of silence as they sat there, though Rogue could swear that the palpitations of her heart were loud enough to wake up all of Bayville. A part of her considered the fact that she could be suffering the effects of rebound, but she was sure that that was not it. She could tell. Really. She loved Pietro. Why else would she feel this way whenever he touched her? A flickering image of red on black demon eyes flashed through her mind, but she forced it away, her jaw hardening slightly. She loved Pietro, who had been there all along. 

"Well... I'm, uhm.. gonna go now." Pietro reluctantly pulled his hand away and was beginning to leave when she grabbed his arm. He looked back at her questioningly, and she squeezed his arm gently, pulling him back to sit on the bed, though nearer to her this time. "Rogue..?" He furrowed his brow, his voice trembling. 

Rogue let her emerald eyes stare up into his stormy blue, and gave him a shaky smile and a nod in response to the question she found there. Leaning forward, she let her lips brush gently against his, feeling the tremor that went through his body at the light contact. She shifted her position slightly, leaning forward again to press her lips more firmly against his and he responded this time, kissing hesitantly back. 

Suddenly, he broke the kiss, pulling back a bit. "No, Rogue," he whispered. "No. You don't want this." 

She shook her head, reaching for him. "Yes, Ah do," she insisted. "Ah do." She slid her arms around his shoulders and kissed him softly once more. "Ah want ya, Pietro. Don' ya want meh too?" He did not respond, his adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed nervously, unable to move for fear that this was a fragile dream. She leaned forward to kiss him, and he returned the kiss for a moment before he broke it off again. 

"No, Rogue..." 

"Shh. Ah love ya, Pietro." She pulled him up close until his body pressed against hers and kissed him passionately, slipping her tongue into his mouth, gently probing. He murmured pleasurably into her mouth, lifting his hands to entangle themselves in her thick hair and matching her passion with his own. 

Pietro felt her fingernails rake slightly across the skin of his back, felt her body pressed firmly against his, tasted the warm wetness from her lips. He could not believe that this was happening. He let his fingers wander over her back, under her shirt, keeping them chastely around her waist, but still enjoying the feel of her unbelieveably soft skin. He shivered as the sensations travelled down his spine. He was touching her, and furthermore, he was holding her in his arms and tasting her, like he had dreamed of doing so many times before. Her body felt so warm under his palm, so alive. He felt her shift her weight, pulling him on top of her and his breath caught in his throat. He wanted her. It would be so easy to just give in; he wanted to. But she had just... What if it was rebound? What if she was just using him? She had told him that she loved him, yet how could he be so sure that she was in her right mind? God, she was so sensually beautiful. Her hands began pushing his shirt up, each finger tracing a path along his skin, and he felt his body react to the stimulating caresses. He sat back slightly when she tugged the shirt off of him to stare at her coy smile. "Rogue..." he whispered. This was not happening. She lay there on her back, her fingers toying with the hem of the t-shirt, looking at him with such an erotic expression. How could he resist her? She began pulling the t-shirt up over her head and he quickly turned his head away, a crimson tone beginning to cover his cheeks. "R-rogue..." He swallowed, fighting to get his breathing under control. "You don't want this... You don't have to do this. Stop, please." He turned his head to the side, averting his eyes from her form as he reached for his shirt. "You need some rest... I'm going to-" 

"Don' leave meh, Pietro.." she interrupted, her voice hushed. She moved forward to encircle his shoulders with her arms. "Ah want this. Ah need this. Please..?" She lifted her hand to hold his face, turning him until he looked at her, and heard him gasp slightly to see her torso bare. "Ah need yo' touch, please. Ah love ya, Pietro." 

He could not do it. He could not turn away and leave; he did not have the will power. Pietro shifted in her arms uneasily, wanting both to hold her and bolt out of the room at the same time. "Rogue.. I-I can't." 

"Shh... Just let yo'self go. Don' think. Jus' feel." She dipped her head to kiss him and he trembled, fighting off the guilty feeling. He was taking advantage of her. He should not give in. It would not be right; he did not want her like this. 

She broke the kiss to press her face into his neck, massaging his flesh with her lips and tongue, and Pietro took the moment to try to reason with her. "Rogue... I love you... I-I just can't do this to you... I kno-" He cut off with a sharp gasp when Rogue reached down into his pants to grasp him firmly. When she started caressing him, he could not restrain himself anymore, almost whimpering with the passion. Losing himself in the sensations, he took her in his arms and began kissing her fiercely, pressing her back into the bed. 

Rogue had already let herself go in the physical pleasure that she was getting from Pietro, yet Remy still remained prominent in her mind, even when Pietro started making love to her. She just could not rid her mind of the cajun's heat, of his caress, of his distinctively colored eyes. Moaning softly, she held Pietro tightly to her, matching his rocking motion with her hips. She loved him. Pietro. She loved Pietro, and he loved her. He would treat her right. Unlike Remy. Why was she thinking about Remy? Why was she comparing Pietro's touch to his? She vaguely wondered what it would have been like to have Remy instead of... Halting her thoughts, she tightened her hold on Pietro as if to urge him to take her harder, faster. She wanted him to push Remy out of her, make him go away. She began crying out with the pleasure Pietro provided, falling deeper into the lusty moment, losing control of her thoughts. 

"Rogue.." her lover gasped. "I.. I love you.." 

Oh.. Oh Remy... "Oh, God, Pietro..." 

~~~~~~~ 

I wonder if that was too graphic. If it wasn't clear, at the end she began thinking, almost imagining, that it was Remy making love to her. When I revise this fic, this is a chapter that I'm probably going to dwell on. 

Holy crap, I can only imagine the reviews I'm going to get from Romy fans. Thank god they don't know where I live. Again, though, if you find a way to kill me, just know that I won't be able to finish the fic! And I promise you, Rogue gets back with Remy. I have an idea how, now. But again, it lengthens this fic considerably. 

I know. I could have just had Rogue and Pietro make out, if I wanted to just have them get together. But I think that this way, it's much clearer how much stress and pain she went under. She's not in her right mind, prone to drastic things (such as going and having sex with somebody else). It is in fact, rebound. Again, poor Pietro, though then again, he should have had enough will power to restrain himself. At the same time, give him a break, it's difficult. I'm opening up a new can of a combination of emotions here. And while I actually am sort of familiar with the emotions that go with rebound, it's rather difficult to describe. Simple emotions, or rather comparatively simple emotions as I find emotions to be anything but simple, are hard enough to write about. But then to go and try to capture something that has confusion as a base emotion... you try it! 

Okay. I admit it. I'm losing interest in writing. I like the story I'm developing, and I want it to end, but at the same time, I don't want to be the one writing it. Get it? I mean, I am going to finish it, but I've been having a sort of writer's block. It's not as if I don't know what I want to happen next. It's just getting there that is the problem. I've been lacking some inspiration. And furthermore, it seems that this fic is going to go on far longer than I thought. Only since I want/need to develop things. I don't want to simplify it. Life is complex, emotions are complex, and that's what I want to capture. Have I been successful, at least medially? 

I don't really have anything else to say. Romy fans don't lose hope, and don't desert me. This is a Romy, trust me. Oh, and don't kill me either. 

I guess I should be expecting some flames about her getting with Pietro, but uhm, try to think outside of the relationship. Like, perhaps how it's written? Tasteful? Can you relate to what she's going through? I don't think I did that well. I'll fix it eventually. But yeah, try to consider that stuff. 

:) 

Rielyn 


	24. Afterwards

Touching

Disclaimer: I don't own X-Men Evolution. 

~~~~~~~ 

Rogue awoke that morning nested comfortably within Pietro's arms, physically warm yet at the same time feeling terribly cold, the night before coming back to her in a rush of vivid images. She could feel his arm draped over her body, his skin brushing her naked torso lightly, and she felt so dirty, almost violated though it had been her doing. She looked up at Pietro's sleeping face, tears spilling out over her cheeks. It was not that she did not care for him. She did love him. But... just _but_. She was so confused; but the one thing she knew was that it was wrong, things were all wrong. It was a mistake. She closed her eyes again, trying to restrain her body from trembling and waking her companion in bed. She was in love with Remy, and she had gone and given herself to Pietro. She choked on a hushed sob. If things could have ever been fixed between her and the demon-eyed cajun, it was too late now. 

Pietro stirred slightly in his sleep, tightening his arms around her body and she let a wretched sigh escape her lips. What was she going to do now? If she thought things were bad, she just made things doubly worse. She shut her eyes tightly against the oncoming rays of the sun and bit her lip, almost drawing blood. What was she going to do? God, she wanted to crawl under a rock and die. No, really. She deserved to hurt, to suffer. She would rip off the necklace, the thing she considered her salvation, and throw it away to punish herself if it weren't for the safety of the boy sleeping beside her. Pietro. God, he did not deserve this. How could she hurt him like this? 

Her eyes flashed open. He would not have to know. She could do it. She could be fine. She loved Pietro, after all. Forget Remy. 

_*****_

Gambit lay sprawled on top of his bed, staring at the mirror that was hooked on the ceiling. He felt like he was going crazy. He tried to pretend that everything was alright, that things were just how he wanted them to be. That Rogue meant nothing to him, and never did. And that it did not hurt that she avoided him, and vice versa. He wanted nothing more than to be around her, near her, with her. He could not understand it; why couldn't he let her go? He wanted her, and only her. Nobody else could replace her, nobody else was good enough. 

Damnit. She was just another fucking girl! Just another girl! A fucking toy! He did not love her. He never did. Damnit, he didn't! He couldn't! He through his arms over his face, screaming out his frustration. He wanted her back. He missed her so badly. He wanted to see her smile just for him, wanted to be the cause for that smile, and every smile, every laugh. He.. 

He loved her. "Mon Dieu..." 

**_*****_**

Rogue panted heavily, her body unbelievably sore, but she just pushed herself harder, running faster, her feet pounding against the pavement. She wanted to hurt physically. She wanted to beat herself up; make her body hurt more than her heart was. It was her self-inflicted punishment; something she had taken up since that fateful night, and she had faithfully made her scheduled run everyday while Pietro was at school. He wanted to stay with her, but she had insisted that she was fine, and that she would not have her holding him back. She, personally, had not dared go back to school for at least a week now; she would suffer for it later, but right now, she did not care. She was beginning to care less and less about things each day; each moment she forced herself numb. Every second, except when she went on these self-torturing runs. Then, she had her release. Let all of the pent-up emotions of the day bubble over the brim. She would scream, cry, strike out at inanimate objects that she passed by, all just to try to release the tension that built up inside of her. All it did was make her run faster. She headed into the woods by the brotherhood house, not even flinching when branches and twigs got in her way, scraping her arms and face painfully. But it wasn't enough. Tears stung her eyes; it wasn't enough. 

She stumbled, roots and exhausted lack of coordination both contributing to her harsh fall, slamming her shoulder against a tree trunk along the way. She lay there, beginning to sob in anguish and curling up into a fetal position. She wanted to take it all back. She could remember how it felt, and she felt disgusted, with herself. She felt even worse knowing she had used Pietro. How could she? How COULD she? He never deserved that. She wailed louder into the forest, burying her face into the muddy forest floor. He never deserved any of the pain she caused him, and it killed her that she would eventually cause more, once she could not pretend anymore that things were okay. That she was not in love with Remy. 

All she could think of was how she gave herself to the wrong man. How it should have been Remy holding her in his arms, loving her. She missed his voice, his scent, his crimson colored pupils that glowed from within ebony orbs. But instead of red, it was a brilliant azure that peered back at her whenever she gazed up into the eyes of her beau. A pang of guilt shot through her chest; she should not be thinking this way, wishing that Pietro was Remy. Grimacing, she shoved herself to her feet, ignoring the sharp pain that erupted from her shoulder and began running again. Think about Gambit, not Remy. He played her, toyed with her, used her. He did not love her. He never did. He did not love her. Pietro loved her, but Gambit never did. He never did. 

**_*****_**

Pietro worked his jaw up and down as he sped back home from school. That Taryn sure packed a punch. Predictably, she had not taken it very well when he had stood her up, and then found out it was for 'that freaky goth mutie.' However, it was rather unexpected when she swung back and pounded him one. He reached up and held his throbbing jaw; he had expected at most a slap, not a full-out punch to the jaw. He'd be feeling that in the morning. Hell, he felt it now. "The things I do for love," he sighed, wincing with the rapidfire movement of his jaw. 

Speaking of love, she was trotting up to the mansion just as he arrived. She had taken to these runs ever since that night they had come together. He had woken up the morning after to an empty bed, and he had fallen into a state of despair. She left, he had made a big mistake and lost her. How could he have been so stupid? He had taken advantage of her, and she was gone now. She left him, she left him, his panicked mind had repeated over and over. But then later, she returned from her run, looking flushed but otherwise fine. In fact, she had given him a smile and a kiss on the lips before she stepped into the shower. The rest of the day, he watched her warily, but mostly she appeared emotionally intact, perfectly fine. She even insisted that he not sleep on the couch from now on, but instead share his bed with her. And each night she held him tenderly, seemingly content with the way things were, with being with him. Maybe even happier than how he had found her. 

Of course, though, he was no fool. He knew her. He could see it in her eyes. She was trying so hard to pretend, but it was just that, pretend. Maybe she did love him, maybe she didn't; he didn't know for sure. At the least, she cared. But he did know that she was not happy with how things were, with how things happened. He could see the regret in her inescapably expressive green eyes each time she smiled at him, or laughed at the antics of the other brotherhood members. She disguised it well, and to most, her eyes laughed just as much as she did. But he could see it, she was not fooling him, she could never fool him. 

There was so much pain in her gaze. Pain, regret, depression. She was so full of hidden angst, but how was he to confront her about it? He wanted to talk to her, listen to her, just be there for her, but how could he when the facade was erected mostly for his benefit? She would become anguished if she knew that he could see through the mask she put up, because it was all for him. She did not want to hurt him, but it put him in such a hard position. So he just played along. For now. 

He snuck up behind her and slid his arms around her waist. "You know, Roguey, you look really sexy all flushed and slick with sweat." 

She flinched slightly before carefully extracting herself from within his arms, moving her shoulder gingerly; the motion did not go unnoticed by Pietro. "Ah'd watch it if Ah were ya, speedy," she quipped in return, trying to snap up her facade while her back was turned. "Ya know Ah don' wear mah necklace when Ah go fo' mah run." She turned to face him, her mask finally up. "Ya'd best be careful, lest Ah decide that Ah _want_ ta use mah powers fo' a change. 

He switched gears suddenly, crossing his arms as his eyebrows furrowed in concern. "What happened? What did you do to your shoulder? How'd you hurt it?" 

"Ah jus' tripped, is all." She began to hunch over, averting her eyes sullenly. She pulled away when he reached for her. "It's fine." 

"Let me take a look at it. Look, even from here I can see that it's swollen." She turned away, stubbornly walking inside the house and ignoring his request. "Oh come on, Rogue!" 

"Ah don' need yo' help." 

"Rogue-" 

"Ah've told ya time an' time befo', Ah can take care o' mahself." 

"Oh, right. Like you took care of yourself around Gambit?" She froze the instant he blurted it out, and once more Pietro cursed his fucking big mouth. He could see her facade crack as her body began trembling, her fists clenched tightly at her sides. 

"That was a low blow, Pietro," she muttered venomously. "A real low blow." With that she went straight upstairs to their room and shut the door with a loud slam, causing him to wince. Pursing his lips, he debated going up after her, even taking a hesitant step towards the stairs. But he could not think of what he could say to her, so he decided to let her have some time alone. 

"I'm sorry," he called instead from the bottom of the stairs, his tone almost questioning as if to ask if it would make her feel better. There was no response, but he had not expected one in the first place, so he just sighed and stepped over to the living room to brood while he watched television. He was sorry, yet he wasn't. He did not mean to hurt her with the words, but in saying them, he had revealed the bitterness that still dwelled in his chest. She had chosen Gambit over him, over HIM. And even now, it was still Gambit that held her heart. It made him feel so.. so unappreciated. He really loved her, and she- She was trying, he finished for himself, cutting off the thought in his head. She was trying, for him. It was all for him. 

Yet it was just a bittersweet feeling of victory over Gambit. Did she have to TRY to be in love with him? She shouldn't, and he wished that it wasn't so. It hurt. He wished that she loved him. He wished that she was his, and that she was happy that he was hers. He was always hers. 

***** 

Rogue never came back out of the room, not even for dinner, lamented Pietro as he came to stand outside of the door. It was late evening now, and he had stalled confronting her for as long as he could manage, but now he had to face the consequences of his earlier quip. "Roguey...?" He knocked hesitantly, trying the doorknob; it was unlocked. "Rogue, can I come in?" When there was no answer, he cautiously slipped inside, peering towards the bed. "Rogue...?" 

She lay in a mess of sheets, crumpled facing away from him. "Go away," she mumbled. 

"Rogue, I'm sorry..." 

She pushed herself up to glare at him with tear streaked eyes. "Ya're sorry? Ya rip out mah insides an' say ya're sorry? Sorry ain' gonna cut it, Pietro." She sniffled, sinking down into the sheets once more. "It nevah will..." 

He zipped to her side and reached for her. "R-" 

"Don' touch meh. Ah ain' wearin' it." 

"Oh..." He paused, looking at her. "Why not..?" 

"Leave meh alone, don' touch meh," she repeated, a hint of warning in her tone. 

"Don't treat me like this, Rogue. I don't deserve this." She hunched over slightly, visible shame tracing over her face. Pietro pinched his lips together slightly as he inched over to her, his voice softer now. "Tell me why you're not wearing your necklace?" He dreaded the answer, knowing what she would say, but still masochistically pressing her for the answer, for her to be straightforward and tell him. Tell him that she did not love him. Did not want him, or his touch. 

She hesitated slightly. "When Ah do... Ah.. Ah remember... an' Ah feel.. Ah feel dirty," she finished in a barely audible whisper, though the shame was painfully obvious. 

She looked up at his face and had to immediately shut her eyes against the deeply pained expression that was etched into his face. "Oh... I see..." His voice almost failed him. He made her feel dirty. Dirty. His filth rubbed permanently onto her. He ruined her. Expecting it did not make the pain hurt any less. "And here I thought I had only made love to you," he muttered to himself bitterly. "It was that bad, huh?" he joked, though he felt like killing himself. She just sat there with her eyes averted. Pietro sighed, his hands clenching into fists. "Well, I'm sorry, ok? What else do you want from me? I'm sorry! I can't give you anything else!" He turned away and stepped over to the door, pounding his fist against the wall beside it. "I didn't mean to hurt you, Rogue. I never did. I would never hurt you if I could help it." He lowered his head, still facing away from her. "But you... you're killing me, Rogue. I love y-" He choked on a sob, his eyes narrowing to fight back the tears. "I love you, but you want more than me. And it's killing me!" With that, he sped out of the room. 

Seconds later, she heard the front door slam and as if on cue, she snapped out of her stunned numbness and broke into fresh sobs. "Ah'm sorry... Ah'm so sorry, Pietro..." she whimpered. "Ah'm sorry..." 

~~~~~~~ 

And the morning after chapter is complete. I don't know when this is going to be posted because I've kinda lost my internet access for an indefinite amount of time. So I don't even know who I'm addressing here. I wish I had two chapters completed in the amount of time I didn't have online access, but alas, just one. 

If you're curious, Rogue and Pietro have been together for a bit longer than a week, approximately. I condensed it all into this chapter because stuff that happens in that time is pretty consistant. And I figure I got it all summarized/paraphrased fine enough. It's an important time, but not important enough for that much detail. 

Uhm, what else? 

Writers' block. I have it. I'm chugging through it though, still cranked this chappie out. I don't know exactly what's next. I've got an idea. Fairly sure of the ending too. Though, I can't tell you how many chapters it is until the end. Actually, come to think of it, the ending is still up in the air. Going through scenario after scenario... it's going to require more thought. 

School is done. But now, instead of that time consuming ordeal, I've got this block to contend with. So I'm not sure things are any better. 

I got mixed comments on the appropriateness of my last chapter. Some... well, one said it was too far. Everybody else, I think, well, at least most people said it was fine. I think I was pushing it, but it really wasn't that graphic. There's been worse. I could've done worse. 

Also, as to her going that far... it happens. Rebound does some funny crap to your rationality. Well, not so funny, but anyway. I've been through it, and that's what I'm basically going on when I decide on how she acts here. She's going to be tossing back and forth on things, real confused-like. And that's what she is, confused. That's the basis for rebound. Confusion. I mean, there's also pain, depression, anger, etc etc and all that angsty good stuff. But there's also confusion. She doesn't know what she wants, she misses Gambit, still wants Gambit, and she knows it. But at the same time, she's trying (the wrong way) to get over him, and things can get real drastic. Things can get to the point where I took things in this fic if she really convinced herself that that was what she wanted. And miss starved-for-physical-touch is just asking for the drastic end. It's hard to really explain/express in words. I can only hope you get the general idea of what I mean. 

So, Gambit admits it. He loves her. What's he going to do about it? Dunno. Probably nothing. He also hasn't found out yet about what happened between her and Pietro. What's he going to do when he finds out? Dunno. That'll be an interesting chapter. Have to debate about how firm he is to sticking with the 'i am a bad bad bad bad bad bad man and should keep her away from me' mentality. But that's a ways. 

Next chapter is Pietro angst most likely. At least partially. Other brotherhood members probably will make a cameo. I have to start heading towards the end, too. I need to plan out what goes on with the Pietro/Rogue/Remy relationship(s). Started off Pietro/Rogue/Remy, then it got to Rogue/Remy, and now it's Pietro/Rogue. And that was 24 chapters. Approx. Heh. According to that, it should be about 8 more chapters for me to get it back to Rogue/Remy. Just a speculation, that's most likely not what it's gonna be. Plus, I'm sleepy and prone to babble. 

Like now. I'm babbling. I can barely type. I need to really think about the end. Blah. 

Update: Now I'm back online, but my desire to write has been greatly diminished. I mean, you can just tell by reading this chapter... it just drags. It doesn't mean I'm quitting... It's just that I'll be updating much much much slower than I have been. I've just lost inspiration/motivation. Without that, I can't really catch the emotions that are involved too well, or do the whole describing thing without it being real blaaaah. In any case, sorry for the delay. I lost internet access for like a week and a half, and I had finished this chapter like the day I couldn't get online to post it. 

Update2: Wow, a real mistake was actually caught! In my initial upload of this fic, I accidentally had Pietro ask Rogue why she wasn't wearing her 'ring.' Oops. My fault. Thanks Chrisum! :) 

Thanks for your patience :) 

Rielyn 


	25. Tearing Himself Up

Touching

Disclaimer: X-Men Evolution = not mine. 

~~~~~~~ 

He ran. 

Pushed himself so hard that he was the wind, a tornado contained in one lithe figure that crashed through the streets of Bayville. He was a hurricane, with thunderclap cries of anguish, salty teardrop rain. His shoes ripped up the asphalt, his outstretched fingers raked across the brick walls, causing crowds to panic and scream, but the damage was more internal. Piercing blue eyes questioned the tumultuous torment he suffered, though they would not be answered. Why couldn't she have chosen him? Why couldn't she love him? Why didn't she love him? Why did she hurt him so? What did he do to deserve this? It was a worse torture to have her in body but not in spirit, than to have to stand by and watch her love another man. 

Pietro ran until the city around him was almost just as torn and ripped apart as his heart felt. His clothes were missing shreds by the time he tired of the destruction, by the time the X-Men showed up, striding righteously down the ramp of the Blackbird. 

"Pietro!" Scott called disapprovingly from the head of the group, but Pietro was already done and heading on his way, completely disregarding the team sent to stop him. 

"Too late, slowpokes." He zipped off, leaving them completely behind and not even giving them a chance for Jean to telekinetically hold him in place, let alone speak to him. He was tempted to try to get a rise out of Xavier's X-geeks, but he was already spent, the emotional adrenaline rush completely emptied from his system. All he wanted was to be back home, to fall exhausted onto his bed, succumb to the welcome darkness of slumber that had its own kind of healing capabilities. 

Entering the front door of the Brotherhood house, he hesitated only slightly at the foot of the stairs before turning and taking his place upon the couch. He still couldn't face her, let alone sleep next to her. Not after hearing her say that he made her feel dirty. No, no, seeing her would kill him, more than he was being killed now by his own thoughts and self-loathing. He had spent his anguish, yes, but the throbbing pain was still there, and would still be there no matter what he did. God. He loved her. He loved her so much it hurt. And it hurt furthermore that she did not feel the same, she would never feel the same. But he wanted her. He still wanted her to be his; how was he to let go of that? How could he let her go, even if he had her only in body? At least he had a part of her. Still, he was not satisfied. He wanted all of her, damnit. Was he so bad that she couldn't come to love him? Why was it so wrong to love her and wish for her to love him back? 

It was there, lying on the couch, his arm thrown over his eyes, that Pietro realized that Gambit had damaged the delicate balance of the pre-Remy days irrevocably. He would no longer be satisfied with loving her from afar, with knowing that she was taken care of and for the most part happy. If he couldn't touch her, couldn't hold her, kiss her, he didn't know how he would feel. How would he get past it? 

He wouldn't, would he? Pietro flung his arms from his eyes, letting them splay out away from his body. The world would be such a hopeless, faithless place. Nothing good there, no purpose, no need for life, no point. Why would he care anymore? What reason would there be for caring? Rogue would be lost to him forever. Why would he care about anything else if the most important thing to him was gone? 

Fear beat irrationally within his chest, and he had to shut his eyes to drown out the sound from his ears when a timid voice lifted his eyelids once more. "Pietro..?" Rogue stood there, twisting her finger around the chain of her necklace. "Aren' ya comin' ta bed?" He grimaced, turning his head away, and she sighed, dropping her arms to her sides. "Ok, we need to talk..." 

~~~~~~~ 

Short. Pietro-thought stuff. Had the X-Men come in because it would be weird that he'd be doing all of that destruction and nobody was coming in to stop him. I almost wrote a confrontation, but by then, Pietro's anguish seemed all spent and it just didn't feel right to me. 

As for Rogue crying so much, I can see that. I try to make her try to tough it out and keep herself from crying, but I don't know, I guess I have a different sense of how emotions affect you. Personally, I can be a bit overdramatic, so I might be exaggerating the emotions that she feels here, but then again... Look, she puts up a facade, keeps everyone at a safe distance, to keep them, and herself, safe. But then it's intruded upon, she's knocked back and forth thanks to Pietro and Remy, it's all very confusing and distressing. Imagine, she's thinking that what's going on? Why are they after me? I'm supposed to be safe from this, I'm not supposed to be dealing with this. Most of all, I'm not supposed to be FEELING this! And now, she's outcast from the X-Men, or rather a runaway, or both. She found out that Remy is a sleeze after all. And she's using Pietro and can't help it. And the regrets! Don't let me get started on regret. Awful feeling that is. So, I have her cry a fair amount, I didn't think it was that bad. I mean, Rogue's life is rough, and she's just a teenager. When she's fully grown, as in the cartoon, she still doesn't have a complete complete control and restraint over her emotions so I imagine she's more openly and freely emotional as a teen. I point this out, though this fic is like an A/U in the fact that there is nowhere on the timeline that it belongs except for somewhere vaguely after the Apocalypse thing is finished. (Though I don't know how that ends cause I haven't seen it, I'm assuming things are the same; e. g. Pietro is leader of BOM, Remy is an Acolyte, Rogue is an X-Men.) 

Some people suggested that I develop subplotlines to stave my writer's block. I say, no way. I can't. I can't stand subplotlines, unless they're more like coplotlines, and even then... There's a place for them, but not in any of my fics. Writing gets too muddy, too confusing, too full of blah blah crap. Personally, when I read a fic with subplotlines, I just get annoyed and skim through/scroll down to see if there is any more meat in the chapter. I'm here for the main plot, I don't care about the little people. That's just me. Besides, I might get confused with subplotlines and not tie up loose ends either, and quality would drop rather than improve. We don't want that, now do we? 

I have to thank Lady Trunks for her comment about how my fic is 'true to life with all the complexity that comes with it.' That's exactly what I'm trying to portray, how I'm trying to weave this story, and you have no idea how it pleases me to hear that I have been successful in expressing this to at least one of my readers. :) Thank you! 

Writing is getting better/easier... *knocks on wood.* Seems like I was focusing so much on getting length and action into the story rather than the emotions, which are what I like to think I do best. Once I got back to that, it got a bit easier, it flowed a bit more. In another way of thinking about it, it got easier when I stopped thinking about it. Hmm.. could be a good or bad thing... Heh. 

Hmm... this part of the fic is undoubtedly one of the darker/angsty parts... won't be getting too too happy anytime soon.. but then again, I never know... 

Alright, next chapter coming soon... I can't tell you when the next romy part will be... possibly the next chapter... maybe the one after that... not sure... don't make me think too hard about it, then it won't come. 

:) 

Rielyn 


	26. Coming Together

Touching

Disclaimer: X-Men Evolution Characters are not mine. 

~~~~~~~ 

There was a moment of silence before Pietro rolled his eyes and muttered, "What's there to talk about?" He lay there, obstinately refusing to look at her, even when she came over to sit by his feet. 

"Ah wanted ta apologize... Ah didn' mean-" 

"Sure you didn't." 

"Ah'm serious, Pietro. Ah do care 'bout ya, an' Ah do love ya. Ah mean that. Really Ah do." 

He turned to look her in the eye then. "Really? Then how is it that I make you feel so dirty? So disgusted?" He pressed his lips into a thin line. "No. You don't love me, you never have." 

"Pietro.." 

"You never have," he hissed. "Honestly, you wanted Gambit, not me. I'm not stupid, Rogue. It's obvious. Don't even try to lie to me." 

"Look, Pietro, Ah'm tryin' mah best heah, okay? It's hard." 

"To love me? Well doesn't that make me feel so warm inside?" He pushed himself into a sitting position, swinging his legs around until he sat facing away from her. "What's the point of this conversation, to hurt me further?" 

"Pietro! Ya're jus' puttin' words in mah mouth. That is NOT what Ah was tryin' ta say." 

He spun to face her. "Then what are you trying to say?" 

Rogue scowled, her temper flaring though she fought to restrain it. "Well, if ya would give me a chance ta say it, maybe then ya wouldn' have had ta ask that question!" She stared at him angrily for a moment before letting out an irritated breath. "Look, forget it, Ah don' want ta talk ta ya while ya're lahke this." She made to move back to the stairs when he caught her wrist. 

"No, wait, I'm sorry. I'm just... This is hard on me too." He sighed, staring ashamedly down at the floor before giving her arm a gentle tug. "Please, I'll listen." 

She hesitated for a moment before resuming her seat. "Look, Ah don' expect ya ta understand, an' Ah don' blame ya, let's get that straight. Ah don' blame ya." She swallowed, turning her head to stare at the carpet by her feet. "It's jus'... Ah always thought bein' able ta touch would get rid of mah problems, not cause more. An' it's not that Ah regret sleepin' with ya.. well, Ah do.. but not 'cause Ah slept with ya.. Ah mean.." She took in a tortured breath. "Ah'm not makin' any sense." 

"... I think.. I follow. Go on." 

She lifted her eyes to his. "Ah mean, Ah love ya, Pietro, Ah really do. An' Ah think that if it had happened any other time, it would have been perfect." She squinted her eyes as she faced the floor again. "But this thing with Remy... Ah jus' cain't believe that... that he... well, that ya were right all along. An' Ah cain't stop thinkin' 'bout all the sweet words he said an' all the sweet things he did... but... it was all a lie!" She shook her head. "My mind is screamin' one thing while mah heart is screamin' right back. 'He loves meh!' 'No, he doesn', nevah did!' An' then you.." She leaned in towards him, slinging her arms around his shoulders and pulling herself in close to him. "Ya're bein' so good ta meh, an' Ah love ya, Ah know Ah do. But Ah cain't figure out why Ah cain't stop thinkin' of Remy, an' Ah know Ah love ya.. but everythin' is goin' so fast, an' Ah'm so confused!" She broke into a sharp sob which she immediately tried to stifle, whimpering into his shoulder. "Ah'm so sorry, Pietro. Ah'm so sorry! Ah nevah wanted ta hurt ya, Ah nevah meant ta, really." 

Pietro looked down compassionately at the girl he held within his arms, letting his hands stroke comfortingly through her hair with a soft sigh. "Shh, Rogue. Shh, it's ok." 

"Pietro, Ah do love ya, please believe meh, Ah do!" 

"Shh, I know, I love you too. Everything is going to be okay." He began rocking her back and forth, giving her a soothing kiss on her forehead. 

"It all jus' happened so fast, an' Ah'm not sure Ah was ready fo' it..." 

"Then this is what we're going to do, okay?" He leaned back a little so that he could look down into her eyes, lifting his hand to touch her cheek gently. "We'll take it slow from now on. We won't do anything you aren't comfortable with. We'll ease into being together..." He hesitated, his eyes dropping to scan the carpet as if searching for the words. "Well, that is... if you want to be together. I mean, if you don't that's okay, I'm not pressuring you into being with me if you're not ready and all. I'll be just as happy being friends, you know. So long as you're happ-" 

"Ah want ta be with ya, Pietro." She gave him a soft smile. "We'll take it slow." 

"Right." 

Rogue pulled him into a warm hug, feeling at ease for the first time that week. "Thank ya, Pietro. For bein' there, for bein' here, for everythin'." 

"I'll always be here for you, Rogue." He kissed her on the forehead. "Always." 

~~~~~~~ 

And Rogue and Pietro make up. Rogue does care about him. The only question is to what extent does she really love him. Where's Remy? Calm down, he'll be there next chapter. 

Since I got past the angst stuff, now I can satisfy my rietro side. Rietro fans should be pleased by the following chapters. The only thing I can really say to the Romy fans is that it's okay, she gets back with Remy in the end. There'll be enough Romy fluff to make up for the lost time here. 

Getting back into the swing of things. Not so worried about length anymore, nor about how the words go. More on how it feels to me. It feels better than the last couple of chapters, which is good. I don't want to be dragging out the next couple of chapters, I think they're going to be interesting. 

And it's back to the sweet Pietro, the seemingly ooc Pietro that I started off with. I like him muuuuuch better this way. He's still cocky, but there are moments when he's sweet. There is always another side to a character. 

I hate Jean Grey. That was random. But yes, I hate Jean Grey. 

I wish I knew exactly how this fic is going to go. As should be with any X-Men fic/story, there has to be some sort of struggle to save the world or whatever. I just have to figure out what. And then I have to dread all the fighting sequences I have to write. Or maybe I'll find a way around it, though it seems only fitting that there would be a save the world struggle. 

I went back to read over my story, or at least skim it, and I found myself staring at them. Occasionally I would think, 'I wrote this? Since when is THIS in my vocabulary? I didn't know I knew what that word meant or how to use it!' My theory is that I go into a writing mode, where my vocabulary is suddenly and inexplicably enhanced. Like just now, I tell you, tomorrow I will wonder at my usage of the word 'inexplicably.' Heh, if you talk to me online, you'll find that I don't use big words like that. I also don't remember writing parts of my chapters. I mean, like, what gave me the idea to take the fic in this direction or whatever. I tell you, it's a writing trance that I go into. 

I don't like Remy in the evo version. At least not yet. His character is WAY WAY WAY underdeveloped. But then again, so are almost all of the characters in evo. Evo leaves much to be desired... at least for Romy fans... and Rietro fans while I'm at it... though I think Romy has a much greater probability of showing up in Evo. I'm babbling again. 

A part of me feels that Pietro forgave Rogue too soon, too quickly. But let's chalk it up to the fact that he loves her, and she's upset... and he can see how she got to be that way. It's Gambit's fault. Gambit's the one he was really upset with, not Rogue. Green? Good. 

Alright, people. Y'all are slackin'! Keep the reviews comin'! I demand it! What can I say? I'm high-maintenance and demanding. :) 

Update: The next day, I looked at my email and it was full of reviews. Wow. You guys work fast! Like a bunny on crack! Lol, isandahalf. I also have to thank mic mic, she really helped me become inspired to write. Nothing against my faithful readers, you know I love you guys more than anything, but there's nothing like a new reader going and reviewing almost every chapter, and printing out the ones that she doesn't! :) :) 

Rielyn 


	27. Return

Touching

Disclaimer: I don't own X-Men Evolution. 

~~~~~~~ 

"Are you sure about this, Roguey? You know, another day away from school really wouldn't hurt..." Pietro gave Rogue's hand a sympathetic squeeze, to which she responded with a wan smile. 

"Come on, Pietro. Yah're s'posed ta help meh through this, not make meh turn around." 

He chuckled softly as he started into the classroom. "I was only testing you." 

"Well, did Ah pass?" Rogue lowered her gaze as they passed the other students, feeling hot under their scrutiny. No doubt they were disappointed that she had returned. 

"With flying colors." He waited patiently for a moment as she took her seat. "Now, you wait here while I run this 'doctor's note' to the secretary, okay?" She nodded in confirmation and Pietro zipped off, but not without touching his finger to her cheek to lift her chin first. "I'll be back before you miss me. Really," he winked. 

When he had disappeared, she let her chin drop again. Biting her lip, she tried to keep her eyes firmly trained on the surface of her desk, scarred with years of student vandalism that only recently included harsh scrawls of derogatory terms towards mutants. They were whispering again, about her. Though how could she really call it whispering when every word, it seemed, could be heard as clearly as if it was spoken directly to her face. Where had she been? Sick? Was it some kind of contagious disease? Why had she come back? Why couldn't she have stayed gone? That last question, she was not sure if she had heard it or in fact just thought it herself. Why was she here? She did not want to be here, but then, why indeed did she come back? 

She had to dig deep for the answer. 

No. She was not going to run, nor hide. She helped fight to stay in school and she was not going to take that privilege for granted. No, she would face them, defiantly. Meet their scorn with a proud glance, fight their discrimination with her continuing presence. Nobody could keep her away. Least of all... 

Gambit strolled in with the same arrogant stride he had used since day one. She had to swallow the lump that built in her throat from seeing him, but if her presence had any effect on him, he didn't show it, except for that his smirk seemed to grow more amused. He even went so far to wink cheekily at her, and she had to swiftly turn her head away, shutting her eyes tightly as if she could make it all go away. She felt like a vice was tightening around her body, restricting her breathing, and she had to bring her hand to her chest to try to ease the pain. Where was Piet- She clenched her fists, pressing her lips until they formed a thin line; no, she could handle this herself. When she opened her eyes, hardened and void of emotion, she saw that Remy now sat across the room, not surrounded by a group of girls, she noted with a level of satisfaction, but in a sort of mysterious shadow, though his area was no less lit than the rest of the classroom. 

She was trying to figure out what it was, why he seemed so shrouded in darkness, not pertaining to light but something else, when Pietro finally returned. Rogue scowled at him in annoyance as he took his seat. "Ya failed. Ah did miss ya." 

Pietro glanced over towards Gambit, his lips quirking in a sheepish frown. "It wasn't my fault. The secretary was being a bitch." 

"Pietro Maximoff, I will not be having such language in my classroom," scolded the teacher as he stepped into the classroom. "Especially when it is directed towards a member of our faculty." 

Pietro turned a slight pink before he recovered, muttering, "Sorry." Seemingly satisfied, the teacher turned to start putting up the class' objectives for the period. Pietro rolled his eyes and leaned over towards Rogue to hiss, "What's with the stick up his ass?" 

Before Rogue could shush him, the teacher spun around to glare at the speed demon. "Maximoff!" he thundered. "I'll be seeing you today afterschool in detention." 

"What?!" 

"Are you going to shut your mouth or am I going to have to assign more?" Pietro met the teacher's glare with one of his own but kept his tongue firmly in check. "Good." The teacher turned to look over the rest of this students, his eyes lingering for only a moment longer on Rogue. "That goes for the rest of you too. I'm in no mood for disruptions!" 

***** 

"Can you believe that? He totally flipped out on me! It was so uncalled for. I didn't deserve detention. I have half a mind not to go." Pietro bit angrily into his sandwich, scowling at the lunch table. "And you know, he wasn't the only one! I say one thing in math class and the teacher leaps down my throat. I mean, she didn't give me detention or anything because you know, I'm not stupid. But damn!" 

Rogue chewed pensively on her own sandwich before she responded. "Maybe ya should jus' learn ta keep your big mouth shut." They were sitting under her tree, at a safely private distance from anyone. She had no real confrontations with her former housemates the X-Men, only uncomfortable moments when they had to be near each other, but Rogue didn't want to push her luck. 

"Oh, come on, Rogue. I've mouthed off before, worse than this, and it wasn't this severe." 

"One afternoon's detention is severe for ya?" 

"You know what I mean." 

Rogue snickered. "Okay, Ah can see it, Ah know what ya mean. But it's not lahke Ah know any more 'bout what's up than you do." 

"Well, whatever it is, they shouldn't be taking it out on me." 

She snorted. "Ya usually deserve it anyhow." 

"No, I'm just a good scapegoat." He sighed. "Why do I have to be so perfect at everything?" 

"Ah know! Don' it jus' suck sometimes?" 

Pietro blinked, looking over at her. "You mean that?" 

"Yea, you're good." A wry smirk formed on her lips. "Good at gettin' on mah nerves!" She ducked, laughing as he looked at her mock indignantly, playfully swatting at her arm. They settled into a comfortable silence, just enjoying each other's presence as they ate. 

Remy watched them from afar, safely cloaked from their gaze by the distance he held between them. So, she was back. He knew she would be; he had prepared himself for it, but no amount of preparation in the world would have reduced the pain he felt upon walking into class that morning and seeing her there. Not that he didn't hide it. He was better than that, than to show how much it hurt to want her yet know that it could never be, that it had been he who turned her away. 

Rogue still kept him awake at night, left him pawing at the empty space beside him on the bed in his sleep, when he did fall asleep. She should be there beside him. He wanted her there, wanted to hold her, possess her, love her. It frustrated him endlessly that he had to restrain himself. It was all he could, even now, to keep from going over and whisking her away in his arms, away from everything, away from Pietro. A flare of insane jealousy burst inside his chest and he had to close his eyes and clench his jaw until his teeth hurt to battle the emotion. She was living with the speed demon now, he knew. He also knew that there was something between them, that they shared the relationship that he had thrown away. He had chased her into another man's arms. 

He tore his stare away from the couple, nimbly leaping up and onto the bleachers that faced the track. Groaning, he pushed his face into his hands, moving his fingers up and through his hair. Dieu. What was he going to do? His every thought was consumed by her. Had he forgotten why he was enrolled at Bayville in the first place? Magneto wanted him to keep an eye on the X-Men, wanted to make sure they would not get in the way of his next plan. Whatever that was. He couldn't let himself be run by emotions, least of all love. And besides, as she wasn't a part of the X-Men any longer, he had no business with her. 

Pietro could keep an eye on her anyways. 

The jealousy flared up again, and this time he kicked the seat in front of him to let out his frustration. He couldn't do this. He had to talk to her, look straight into those emerald eyes once again. Just one more time would do. He would be satisfied then, but he couldn't just let it be like this. He had to hear her voice talk to him one last time, even if it would be in anger. And most of all, he had to touch her, maybe briefly hold her in his arms. Maybe steal a kiss. Just one more time, just one more chance. 

~~~~~~~ 

I don't really have much to say about this. Remy's back, finally. Complete with the green-eyed monster, Jealousy. And that's before he finds out what they did... 

Nothing more to say... Oh yea, know any good X-Men villains? Other than Magneto, that is. :-P 

Thanks! 

Rielyn 


	28. A Welcome Back

Touching

Disclaimer: X-Men Evolution is not mine. 

~~~~~~~ 

Pietro sighed as he looked up at the classroom door that never looked so daunting before. "Rogue, if I don't survive this, you can have my stereo." 

"Oh, quit bein' so melodramatic." She pushed at him slightly. "Besides, yo' stereo's busted." 

He sighed again, glaring mournfully up at the door again. "I guess it's no use stalling my fate any longer." He paused before he grabbed onto Rogue with a cry. "Save me!" 

Rogue laughed as she shoved him away. "Oh please." She held onto his hand lingeringly. "Do ya want meh ta stay an' wait fo' ya?" 

"Mm. Well, yea... but-" 

"It's no problem, Pietro." She shrugged to hoist her backpack into a more comfortable position on her back. "I'll be right outside, okay?" He nodded and with a brief kiss that brushed her lips, he disappeared inside. 

Whistling softly to herself, Rogue made her way outside to the front steps of the school where she settled her things to sit on the grass. She had just started to do her homework when a tall shadow blocked her sunlight. She swivelled around, shielding her eyes against the glare of the sun that made it difficult to see the person standing in front of her. "Pietro...?" She ventured doubtfully. "Ya done already?" Though, at second glance, those weren't his boots. And he didn't wear a trenchcoat. Her stomach dropped sickeningly. 

"Non, chere." Remy stepped to the side where she could see him more clearly. She grimaced. 

"What do ya want?" 

"Jus' t' welcome y' back, s'all. Remy noticed that y' been gone f' awhile." His red eyes gleamed as his lips curled up into a smirk. So that's what it was. He had stopped using his image inducer. It was strange what a subtle change to his appearance made a big difference to his whole aura. He seemed so much more dangerous now than ever, yet still so alluring. Rogue narrowed her eyes; not that it worked on her, anymore. Well, not that she would show. He was not going to have that satisfaction. 

"Alright, ya welcomed meh back. Now go away." 

Remy grinned. "Remy hasn' even started t' welcome y' back, chere," he cooed. 

Rogue's temper flared, clenching her fists at her side as she got to her feet. What was this? How does he dare to even talk to her after all that he did to her. "Look heah, swamp rat. Ah don't know what ya have planned, but Ah'm tellin' ya now that Ah ain' gonna put up with any of it." 

"Mais petite... Jus' what are y' goin' t' do 'bout it?" In one movement, he had his arm slung around her waist, pulling her tightly against his body. His other hand held her wrist firmly as he leaned in, his nose almost brushing against hers. "What can y' do?" 

Her green eyes flashed dangerously as she pulled fruitlessly against his grasp. "You bettah watch it an' let meh go, cajun..." 

"Or what, cherie?" His eyes flicked pointedly down to where her necklace rested on her collarbone, and then gratuitously down further along her chest before lifting back up to her enraged stare. He released her wrist and drew a finger down her cheek. "Y' be defanged, petite. An' y' loverboy ain' aroun' t' save y'." 

"Ah don' need..." Rogue hesitated. So that's why he was trying to toy with her again. Pietro. He had competition, it was a challenge again. That _bastard_. "Ah don' need Pietro ta save meh, swamp rat." She brought her knee up swiftly towards his groin, but his reflexes, well-trained with practice, saved him from more than just an ego-bruising blow. Still, she succeeded in freeing herself from his hold. 

Remy chuckled as he regained his composure almost immediately, leaning back slightly, casually, in opposition to Rogue's wary stance. "Ma belle, dat wasn' nice." 

"Who says Ah'm nice?" 

"Oh, bien sûr, de fille don' play by de rules. Mais chere..." He was a sudden blur, his bo-staff extending out and swinging against the back of her knee, causing her to fall unceremoniously with a yelp onto her back on the ground. He was upon her within a moment's breath, straddling her hips and pinning her arms above her head. "... Neit'er do Gambit," he finished smugly. 

"Ya bettah get offa meh, Gambit," Rogue hissed, struggling albeit futilely, her angry green eyes flashing hatred towards him. He did not show it, but his heart ached to see her dislike for him, to feel through his empathy her abhorration of him. 

"Or what, cherie?" he replied cockily, repeating his earlier question, knowing that he had her captured beneath him. Momentarily, he reflected that this was the only way he could have her now; unwillingly. Again, pain pounded in his chest, though he shoved it brutally aside. He might as well enjoy this last opportunity. Fuming, Rogue opened her mouth to retort but he silenced her with a passionate kiss, letting his tongue probe gently into her mouth. She stiffened, but he closed his eyes, pushing everything out of his mind but her taste, the feel of her lips, of her body below hers. He pretended for that moment that she was still his, that she had not renewed her struggling, that she was in fact returning the kiss. When he pulled back, he held his eyes closed, trying to prolong the fantasy that he had been entertaining. 

And then she spit on him. "Ah hate ya," she seethed. 

Remy just stared down at her for a bit, the bit of moisture sticking to his cheek. Dieu, that hurt so much to hear. It _hurt_. But still his lips curled up into a smirk, sitting up and releasing her hands to retrieve a handkerchief to wipe away her spittle. "Welcome back, cherie." In one movement, he got up, turning his back to walk away from her. It was over. Over. He had his precious chance and threw it away. Oh, he regretted it now. Deeply. But stop. Stop it. He had to be cold. She was just another girl, think like that. It was over. Leave, and never hope again. He had no hope to be with her again. Cold. Unfeeling. He had to be. But when would the pain end? 

Enraged, Rogue pushed herself up. "Don't ya dare jus' walk away lahke that. There ain' no way Ah'm lettin' ya have the last word!" When he did not respond, nor even acknowledge her, she scrambled to her feet. "Ya lost, ya know that? Ya lost at yah're own game. Pietro loves meh! An' ya know what? Ah love him too! Ah love him!" Tears came unbidden to her eyes as he continued farther and farther away. "We even made love, ya hear? Ya lost, see? See?" He seemed unaffected, his gait constant. Leaving her. "An'... An' Ah nevah loved you, ya know that?" She choked on a sob. "Ah nevah did! Jus' lahke ya nevah had any real feelin's fo' meh. Nevah! Ah hate ya!" She stumbled, falling to her knees. "Ah hate ya," she whimpered as she crumbled, weeping openly now. "Ah hate ya so much." 

~~~~~~~ 

Cripes. So different from the last version. Though I'm unclear as to whether or not I prefer this one over the other one. I mean, based on what happens, I prefer this. But the quality of writing? Ewwwwwww... 

If I thought writing before was pulling teeth... This chapter was a full out root canal. At least the parts I rewrote. Give me a break, I'm out of practice. 

So, hey, winter break's up. I've got a month. _Hopefully_ I'll break my writer's block and chug out some new chapters. No promises though. You have no idea how hard it was to get this out. I even messed up their characterizations. I couldn't even get the emotions quite right. That said, I'm terribly dissatisfied with this chapter. Just as much as I was with the first version. Piece of crap. It's staying though. I want a new chapter. I think I know what it's gonna be about. Probably Remy angst. He seemed kinda cold and unresponsive to the things Rogue shouted, but he was doing it purposefully, duh. I'll probably have a short-ish insight into his actual reactions, which he releases later. Remy angst to come! 

Ugh... Even my rant feels so forced. Help me. Encouragement always stirs up my imagination and writing talent (or rather, lack of :P). 

Nice to see you guys again! 

Rielyn 


	29. Calm Before The Storm

Touching

Disclaimer: X-Men Evolution is so not mine.

* * *

He did not stop, striding forth with the constant determination to show no emotion, until he reached his apartment door. Or so he thought. It took Remy a moment when he reached out for the doorknob to realize that he was facing the wrong direction – he had moved across the hall _that_ day. But he still turned the knob.

Finding it open, he slipped noiselessly into his former living quarters. Much was the same, except for the fact that his old furniture was shoved away from the gaping hole that once used to be the far wall and window. It now consisted of tape and plastic that promised renovation. He turned his eyes away from the reminder of that disaster, numbly walking over to his bedroom. Letting his fingers swim through the satin sheets as he slipped into bed, he did not recognize himself in the mirror. Instead, he imagined that he could still see the reflection of her cream colored skin tangled in the sheets, swirled, warm, _next to him_. Not Pietro. _Not Pietro_.

_They made love_.

It echoed in his ears, a sharp pain piercing his chest, driving him into a fetal position. No no no. Jealousy.

Remy flung his appendages out, releasing a feral yell to try to ease the pressure of the pain that he felt, but it was futile. It was wrong. Everything was so wrong. How did it go so wrong?

He could not cry. He would not even if he could, but he writhed on the bed, wanting so much for her body to be next to his. Just one more time. No, he would not be satisfied with that. He wanted her always. Merde, he was such a fool. How could he let himself fall in love again? He had not meant to. He never wanted to. He fucked up at his own game, and now he was suffering, much like he suffered once before.

Belladonna.

Rogue.

"Damnit, let m' be!" He howled towards his reflection. "I nev' wanted dis. I nev' wanted dis! Dieu, I can' _do_ dis again!" But who was he to blame but himself? He lost her. No, he gave her away, handed her to his rival. And Pietro welcomed her, possessed her, _ravished_her. Made her his own. Remy squeezed his eyes shut against the images that his mind created. He hated it. It should have been him, not Pietro. It could have been. But he said no.

And what was worse – he could not be angry with Pietro for it. The boy was better for her. It was better this way. Remy should suffer anyway. And he would make sure he would suffer – a sort of atonement for his 'crimes.'

He fished out her scarf from his pocket and draped it over his face, turning everything into a shade of green. Taking in a torturous sigh, he breathed in her scent, remembered her taste, the feel of her skin. He saw the vivid green of her eyes, wet with tears, and a sharp pang echoed in his chest.

"Merde, I miss y', Rogue." He choked on the pain and jealousy that rose like bile in his throat, trying to swallow the emotions. But instead, they stuck, forming a painful little ball. "Chere, 'm sorry. So sorry. I love y', chere. Rogue, je t'aime."

Tears formed in his increasingly stony stare, but they did not fall. Never did. He would never let them.

* * *

Rogue watched the ground as she walked in an attempt to be fascinated by the way her sneakers pressed against the pavement, how folds in her jeans appeared and disappeared with the movement of her legs, how her clothes rustled – all in an attempt at distraction. Her footsteps were unechoed by an accompanying stride. She had left the school without waiting for Pietro.

She had furiously dried her eyes not long after the cajun was out of sight – she had given him enough of her tears already – but everything she felt as a result of the encounter left her restless. If it wasn't one thing, it was another. Life seemed reluctant to give her any breaks. For heaven's sake, she had just recently managed to bring herself to go back to school!

Lifting her chin, she glared balefully at the cloudless sky. It should be raining – to match her mood. Something to make her feel that much more miserable. She was sick of this. It was so frustrating that she wanted to torture herself, maybe physically, to get some kind of release. But no, the sun shone bright and warm – no risk of getting the flu. She allowed her lips to curl up into a self- deprecating smirk. Sad, her life.

She shook her head. Why couldn't he have just left her alone? Wasn't it enough that he had already broken her once?

No. He knew he could take her, renew the game, and break her again. He knew as well as she did that she was still vulnerable to his charm. She wasn't over him after all.

And now she had his taste to remember him by. He was as good a kisser as she had always dreamed he would be. No – better.

Clenching her fists, she spat at the ground, scrubbing her lips with the back of her hand – roughly, to erase the memory of the kiss. He would never have her again, she vowed. Never again.

* * *

Pietro shifted his weight anxiously, standing where a pile of Rogue's belongings lay deserted in the grass. "Rogue...?" He scanned the area, confused. She wouldn't have abandoned her things, wouldn't have left him when she had told him she'd stay – would she? Suddenly, his ears perked up to rapidly approaching footsteps and he spun around early enough to catch Rogue in his arms.

"Aww, you an' yer reflexes..." she breathed, beaming brightly up at him. Good, she had returned in time. Leaning up, she pressed her lips firmly against his in a fairly passionate kiss, leaving him blinking at her in surprise. She gave him a smirk. "What? Can't Ah give mah man a kiss?"

Recovering quickly, Pietro grinned wryly down at her, though he still felt confused. "You can kiss me anytime, babe. You just gotta give me time for air 'cause you take my breath away."

Snickering, Rogue gave him another smooch before breaking away to gather her things. "Ah see ya survived. An' ta think Ah had mah heart set on gettin' yer stereo."

"But it's busted."

"Nothin' Lance couldn' fix."

"Yeah, but would he?" Pietro chuckled as he just looked at her for a moment. Something was off. As much as he enjoyed that kiss – he knew Rogue better than that. He sighed, pursing his lips. As much as he enjoyed that kiss, he couldn't let it be. "Hey Roguey..."

"Hey Petie," responded Rogue, teasingly. "What's up?" Her head remained bowed as she continued gathering her belongings. "Hey, ya gonna help meh or what?"

He immediately zipped over, crouching down by her to take up several of her books. "Rogue," he repeated, insistently.

Frowning, Rogue finally lifted her gaze to peer at him quizzically. "What?' For a moment he just looked at her carefully. "What?" repeated Rogue, getting annoyed. "What's wrong?"

"You tell me."

"What are ya talkin' about?" Yet her lips twitched slightly, revealing only momentarily a guilty expression that flit across her face. Pietro didn't miss it.

With a sigh, he put her books down and reached forward to take her face in his hands. "C'mon, Rogue. You know I know you better than that. You're not acting like yourself." He traced his thumb lightly over her cheekbone, smiling reassuringly. "Let me in, Rogue. Stop lying to me."

She looked at him silently for a bit before she lowered her gaze, pulling away. "He kissed me." She didn't have to say who. Suddenly she felt her heart begin to pound in her chest. She felt nervous, as if she was guilty of infidelity, and she couldn't bring herself to lift her eyes to her boyfriend.

Pietro sat back on his heels, feeling unsurprised. Just like Gambit to try to play his game again when the challenge was greater. Especially since he still had a chance, even as minuscule as it was. A surge of hatred pushed at his ribs from within – and jealousy. Suddenly, he had to see if Rogue still wanted him, and not Gambit. Without a word, he reached forward to tip Rogue's chin up. Ignoring her questioning gaze, he leaned forward and kissed her, softly, slowly until she started responding. He held the kiss firmly, passionately, but it wasn't until she lifted her hand to cup the back of his head, tangling her fingers in his silvery strands, that he felt reassured. Somewhat. When he pulled back from the kiss, they were both breathless. Pietro smirked at her. "You really do take my breath away, Roguey." Do you take his away too?

Rogue blushed, her anxiety quelled for the most part. "Ah love ya, Pietro." After a moment, she continued. "An' don' forget it neither."

You love Gambit too, don't you? Maybe more than you love me. "I love you too, Rogue."

* * *

He wondered when it would stop hurting. None too soon, with his luck, though he did, after all, just find out yesterday what happened between Rogue and Pietro.

Sitting at the back of the classroom, Remy enjoyed relative solitude from the rest of the class, left to his brooding with little interruption. Not that anybody would dare disturb him, now that his devil eyes went unmasked. He had caught his classmates by surprise, the first day he walked in with his image inducer turned off. Out of habit, they initially drew close to him – to reap the benefits of hanging out with the cool bad-ass of the school – but the closer they came, the more horrified were their expressions, and they fled. It brought back memories of his childhood, of a time before such gadgets like an image inducer existed. It was so lonely, his childhood, especially since it was a time when he needed companionship. He needed to be held, to be touched, to belong. But everyone ran away from him.

Sure, he soon discovered the benefits of wearing sunglasses to hide his demonic gaze, but wearing them at night brought another form of scorn: mockery. "Ain' y' got sense, boy? Y' don' wear yo' sunglasses at night." "Look at de freak, 'e t'inks he's settin' a trend." "Wha' kinda loser are y' t' be wearin' yo shades in de dark?" The words stung, and while they no longer ran away in terror, they still wouldn't come close to him. They wouldn't be his friend. Of course, that all changed when Jean-Luc took him in. Who dared insult the Prince of Thieves? Though, it wasn't like becoming part of the guild family didn't have its drawbacks.

_Belladonna_.

He had to release his pen when he found his power surging into his fingertips, almost charging the writing utensil unintentionally. Flexing his fingers, he let his frustration escape through a strained sigh, almost growl. He should have learned from that experience. Love isn't all candy and roses – it comes with its share of _shit_ too. Love isn't worth the pain. Especially when it involved a whole family of trained assassins. He smirked.

Remy lifted his gaze, his eyes boring into Rogue's form. He wondered if he regretted ever meeting her. It was her fault, after all. Her fault that he ended falling in love again so soon. And fallen much harder than he had ever fallen in love before, even for Belle. It wasn't fair. He had a nice system set up of loving and leaving – he never felt heartache nor did he ever feel lonely. At least physically. But then Rogue – she just had to show him the depth of emotions that he was missing, the depth of feeling that one-night stands could never give him, the true love that was separate from lust – Belle couldn't even show him that.

How could he go back to the player he once was – now that it would no longer be enough?

* * *

"Goddamnit," swore Principal Kelly, pressing his fingers into his temples at the growing migraine. "_I_ should have been electedWhy the hell did the board hire him?" He trailed off, leaning his elbows heavily on his desk as he raked his fingers through his hair. A week or so ago, he had lost the bid for the superintendent position, much to his complete and utter surprise. It drove him crazy to think that he was defeated, and it didn't help that the new superintendent had been monitoring his school so closely, and critically, that the teachers were driven to their wit's end. Given, his mere presence unnerved them all so much that they jumped to keep their class perfectly in line and to standard, but it was Kelly who had the experience. "He must have bribed the Chairman, the rich bastard. I'm definitely more qualified than a fresh-out-of-college biology teacher."

"Oh, I assure you I've been out of college longer than that, Principal Kelly."

Jolting upright, Kelly couldn't prevent his face from reddening as he looked up into the smirking face of his new boss. "Ah..." He got to his feet, poorly disguising his quivering rage. "Superintendent Essex, I didn't hear you come in."

* * *

Don't get your hopes up, I'm not completely back. I had to revise these last few chapters before I even tried to continue. I like how it is a lot better now.

So... school is still taking up my time, as is my job. But hey, I'm still alive. :)

- Rielyn


	30. Ignorant Peace

Touching

Disclaimer: These are borrowed characters. Borrowed! I don't own the X-Men, the concept, characters, nothing! Don't sue me or I'll cry.

* * *

"So, what can you tell me about the abundance of mutants in your school, principal Kelly." Essex slunk forward, slowly lowering himself into a seat though his eyes never left the unnerved principal. Nathaniel Essex had a commanding presence that was only enhanced by his sharp sense of style. He was dressed in a pressed suit and tie, with his jet black hair combed neatly back from his forehead. Simple, official, meant business. He was unnaturally pale, but it only emphasized his angled features and piercing dark gaze. "There is, you know, an abundance of mutants here. More so than in any other school in the area."

"I'm fully aware of that, superintendent." Kelly remained standing, his fingertips tapping a nervous beat on top of his desk. "But I assure you, it does not in any way hinder the school in providing a quality education. The faculty, including myself, are doing all we can to ensure the safety of our students, and in fact, we are this close to finding the means to expel the-"

"You shall do no such thing." There was a sort of vehemence in his voice, though his expression remained cool and calculating. Almost amused.

Kelly blinked. "Pardon?"

Essex allowed his thin lips to curl up into a slow smile before he responded. "Why do you wish to rid the school of the mutants?"

"Why, they're dangerous!" Kelly stared at him incredulously. "A menace to society!"

"Indeed."

A pause. "Do you mean to suggest that I allow them to continue attending Bayville High? That I continue putting the children at risk?"

Essex sat forward in his chair, elbows leaning against his knees and hands folded under his chin. "So. Say you expel these students, children in their own right-"

"Well..." began Kelly, "You may call them children but that doesn't mean-" He was silenced by a sharp gesture from Essex.

"So you expel these students. What then?" A smirk crossed the superintendent's lips. "Tell me, what exactly are you afraid of, principal?"

"These _mutants_ pose a very tangible threat to us humans, superintendent. Have you seen what they are capable of? What chance do we humans have against a force like that?"

"You are saying they are capable of taking over, then."

"Yes!"

Essex arched his eyebrows. "And you believe that they are all plotting against us?" He didn't wait for an answer. Getting up from his seat, he strode towards the window, gesturing towards the students below. "So why do you intend to do away with the opportunity we have on hand? Wouldn't expulsion merely give them more time to plot in private?" Turning back towards Kelly, he regarded the principal intensely, his lips still curled up in an infuriating smirk. "Why don't we monitor them? Study them. Better to know what we are dealing with, don't you agree?"

There was a moment of silence as Kelly considered his words. "What do you need me to do?"

Satisfied, Essex straightened, a grin widening on his lips. "I need information on these students of yours."

* * *

"Ah don' know why Ah evah agreed ta go out with ya," lamented Rogue, crossing her arms in front of her and refusing to look at her boyfriend. He was sitting beside her on the couch, rapidly flipping through the tv channels and enjoying the last jelly-filled donut. The _last_ jelly-filled donut.

"Aw, now Roguey, don't be like that," Pietro whined, though his eyes remained planted on the swiftly changing channels.

"Hmph."

The speedster finally turned towards her to give her a pout, but she just turned her head away. "Oh c'mon!" He smiled at her with a hopeful look in his eyes. "I love you..?"

"Hah, if ya loved meh, Ah'd be the one with that donut, sugah."

Pietro sighed. "Why do I go out with such a brat?"

Rogue turned to face him then. "Excuse meh?!" She glared at him. "Care ta repeat that, speedy?"

"Well, it's not like you'd even finish the donut, or even eat it in the first place. You're always goin' on about some diet." He nudged her with his elbow as he turned back to the tv. "Admit it, you only want the donut cause _I_ have it."

"Ah lahke jelly donuts!"

"Sure, Roguey," he replied dubiously. "And I like to take my time."

"Ah do!" Growling, she snatched the tv remote out of his hand. "Ah _really_ don't know why Ah put up with ya most of the time."

"Because I'm cute and you can't resist me," he grinned, finishing off the donut. Inching closer to his girlfriend, he slipped his arm around her shoulders. "Admit it, you can't help but love me."

She tried to maintain her angry expression but only half-succeeded as a smirk curled the corner of her mouth. "No."

He grinned mischievously, tightening his hold around her shoulders as his other hand got poised above her middle. Threateningly. She began to squirm, stifling a preemptive giggle. "You going to tell me you love me or do I have to tickle it out of you?"

Rogue hesitated for a moment but stubbornly shook her head, her eyes fixating him with the challenge. "You wouldn't dare..."

"Oh well, you asked for it!" With that, he pounced, tickling her sides and causing her to laugh helplessly.

"Pietro!" she shrieked in protest, struggling to escape, but he just pinned her beneath him, tickling her mercilessly. They wrestled until both were out of breath, Rogue curling up at a last attempt to escape the disarming touches. "Okay! Okay! Ah love ya. Ah love ya!" she cried, a few giggles escaping her as he ended his torture. "My stomach hurts..." she groaned as they adjusted themselves to lay relaxed on the couch, Pietro's head resting on her collarbone.

"Sorry, Roguey. I'd kiss it and make it all better but I'm feeling too lazy right now."

She snorted, reaching over to poke him sharply in the side. "Ah knew it. Ya _don't_ love meh!"

Pietro squirmed slightly, moving to wrap his arms around hers, trapping them against her body. "Sure I do. Just not enough to move right now."

Rogue chuckled, shaking her head in resignation. If anyone had told her a year ago that she would gain the ability to touch, leave the X-Men for the Brotherhood, _end up dating Quicksilver_ – she would have laughed in their face. But here she was, cuddling with Pietro, and she could not be happier. Well, ok, no, she could, but she was well on her way to that point. If only she had chosen Pietro in the first place, she lamented. Oh well. She wasn't going to dwell on it.

"Roguey?"

She blinked, startled out of her thoughts. "Yeah?" She looked down at him. Pietro had lifted his head and was resting his chin on the palm of his hand while the other was playing with her necklace. He looked a bit off, his movements awkward as he wasn't used to being naturally slow instead of intentionally so.

"You never really told me about this necklace of yours." He released the chain, looking relieved as he did so. "Where'd you get it?"

She remained silent for a bit, a hand going up to finger the links of her necklace. "Mm. Hank gave it to me." She furrowed her brow, trying to remember his words. "Something about the Gems of Cyto-whatever. Ah don't remembah."

"Gems of Cytorrak," Pietro stated. "The same ones my father..?" She looked at him and smiled ruefully, nodding.

"Yeah, though instead o' evolvin' us, Hank made them devolve us. In a mattah of speakin', o' course. So he said."

"Oh." Pietro furrowed his eyebrows, regarding her carefully. "It doesn't sound... healthy. You know, devolving and all that. You think if you wear it long enough you'll go back to bein' a kind of caveman... er, cavewoman? Maybe even a monkey?"

Rogue rolled her eyes, flicking him on the side of the head. "A monkey?"

"Well, that's what they say we evolved from, isn't it?" He grinned. "Ooh, you know, I always wanted a monkey for a pet."

Ignoring him, she began playing with her necklace again. "Well, Hank an' tha professah didn't really want meh ta be wearin' it all the time. In fact, Hank was s'posed ta monitor meh. S'only experimental, he said." She pursed her lips. "Ah was s'posed ta keep workin' on controllin' mah power without it."

Pietro smiled, propping himself up on his elbows over her. "Well then, why don't we keep workin' on it? I'll help you."

She frowned. "Pietro, Ah don' want ta hurt ya."

"An' y' won't, petite." Paling, Rogue turned to see Remy leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed in front of him. His eyes seemed to flash a furious red to see Pietro draped over her, though his lips remained set in a thin smile. "Speedy's gotta go. Got a meetin' wit' Magneto."

* * *

I have a plan! Well, sort of. I kind of know where this is going now. Like, I already knew before, but I know more of the specifics now.

Can you tell I'm kind of having trouble with the characterization? Feels kind of awkard, doesn't it? And the tempo seems kind of sluggish. I dunno.

Best I can promise is that I'll get the main thing down, and if it bothers me too much, it'll be improved upon when I go back later and revise the story. Which I will. Prolly end up months from now, when I even start that. Prolly be like a year or so until this whole fic is completely complete.

Slow and steady, well not so much steady, but slow. Haven't forgotten the fic, though. Obviously.

Anyway, see, the problem is I kind of got over my temporary infatuation with Rietro. So writing fluffy scenes with those two is kind of weird. I tell you, I kept wanting to put Remy in Pietro's place. I'm kind of impatient to get it all done with.

Hopefully everything will get exciting again. Soon. It should, the next chapter. Definitely. As the next chapter requires a bit more energy. Well, so long as it goes as I'm planning. Of course, I had always planned this to be a very brief, just romy fluff, kind of fic. At most, ten chapters. Ten! So yea, things don't always go as planned. Who knows?

I think I might have a surprise in store for you guys though.... Or I could just be predictable and not know it. Ah well.

Til next time :)

- Rielyn


	31. Falling

Touching

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the X-Men in any shape or form.

* * *

Pietro sat up at hearing his father's codename, though he still kept a possessive hand on Rogue's knee. "What?" He eyed Gambit suspiciously. "My father sent _you_?"

Remy shrugged. "Not m' place t' question de bossman." His eyes flickered over to Rogue, meeting her eyes briefly before adding, "Gambit told 'im dat y' prob'ly wouldn' jus' take his word fer it, an' he said t' give y' dis, said y' would kno' wut it meant." Reaching into his trench coat, he pulled out a small metal badge, about the size of a half-dollar, and flipped it over to Pietro who deftly caught it with his free hand.

Glancing briefly down at the intricate designs on the silver coin, Pietro paled, causing a look of confusion to cross Rogue's face and Remy to raise his eyebrow. Getting to his feet, he looked torn between speeding off right then and there, or staying to keep Remy away from Rogue. "Gambit..." he growled, moving to step in front of his girlfriend.

"Seems t' Gambit like y' really dun 'ave time t' play, hein?" Remy smirked. "Though if y' really wanna keep ol' Magsy waitin', Gambit be more den willin' fer a game 'o cards." Which was more than true. He would love to have a chance to beat the living shit out of him. He stole Rogue. No, he amended internally. Pietro just was there to catch her when he had foolishly thrown her away.

That changed nothing. He would still love to have a chance to beat the living shit out of him.

The speedster scowled at the cajun. After a moment's hesitation, he turned to Rogue. "Baby, I gotta go. My father..." he paused, his loyalties to his father making him reluctant to divulge information even to her. "It's urgent," he finished lamely. "I mean, I would take you with me..."

Rogue smiled reassuringly up at him. "Pietro, Ah'll be fahne. Seems ta me lahke ya really don' have a moment ta waste, sugah." She turned slightly to glare at Gambit. "An' Gambit won't be stayin' anyway."

Gambit's eyes flashed but he nodded. "Exactly, petite. In fact, m' errand is done an' Gambit is gone." With an elaborate bow, he spun and strode out the door.

Glaring at the space the cajun had previously occupied, Pietro muttered, "He'll be back I'm sure." Though was he wary of Gambit being around Rogue or Rogue being around Gambit?

Rogue got to her feet to embrace him from behind, leaning up to kiss his cheek. "Ah'll be fahne, Ah can take care o' mahself."

Pietro nodded though an unsure smile still curled his lips. "I'll be back soon." He turned to kiss her briefly but she held the kiss longer, pressing her forehead against his when the lip-lock finally relented.

"Trust me, Pietro. Ah love you."

Finally, his lips curled up into his usual cocky grin. "I know you do. Once girls get a taste of the speedster, they can't help but fall in love!" He kissed her again, halting a retort that she was about to vocalize. "I'm just kidding, babe. I love you!" Giving her one more, final kiss, he winked at her before speeding out the door.

Rogue was left blinking after him, his last few actions a blur. Recovering, she giggled and settled herself back onto the couch. That boy. You could never keep up with him once he got going. She adored him.

She had just begun flipping through the channels again, already missing her boyfriend and vaguely wondering why Pietro had to leave her so suddenly in the first place, when Gambit landed unannounced on the couch next to her. "Dat was a very touchin' scene, chere."

"How'd Ah know that you'd be back?" she sighed, immediately pushing some distance between her and the cajun, entirely unsurprised at his sudden appearance.

"Remy'd hate t' think 'e bein' predictable." He followed her along the couch, stretching his arm behind her. "So 'e 'ave t' say dat y' jus' know, chere. It be fate, hein?"

Rogue scowled, swiveling until she sat with her legs keeping the distance between them, her foot firmly pressing against his knee. "Ah'd hafta say that yah're jus' dreamin', swamp rat." She raised her arms to her necklace, threatening to remove it. "Leave, Gambit."

Remy smirked, but he relented his pursuit. "Remy was jus' abou' t' suggest dat y' take dat ugly t'ing off."

She frowned, arching a brow. "And whay?"

"Heard dat y' need practice touchin'. Not too good at it yet." Rogue's face turned red, opening her mouth to protest that that was not what she said, but he just laughed. He turned his face towards the television which had been left haphazardly on the infomercial channel, though his eyes continued to stare side-long at her. "Remy could teach y' a few t'ings, hein?"

Rogue glared at him coldly, unlatching her necklace and dropping it on the floor in front of the couch. "Teach meh, then," she cooed menacingly.

Remy's eyes lifted slowly from where they followed the movement of the piece of jewelry. He drew his tongue leisurely across his lips as he contemplated her form. "As y' wish, chere." Before she could protest, he was upon her, his body pressing against her intimately between her legs, his hands clutching her wrists through her sleeves and pinning her bare hands down by her face. She could feel him pressed firm against her and she trembled, furious. She hadn't expected this, though in retrospect she should have. He had never been afraid of an accidental brush with her poisonous skin – and he liked taking risks.

"Get offa meh, Gambit!" She tried to wriggle into a position with better leverage to get him off of her, but the pleasurable friction caused by the squirming immediately made her stop.

He ground himself into her, eliciting a gasp from his captive. "Remy ain' doin' not'ing 'e ain' been givin' permission t' do." He did it again, and she shrieked indignantly. He was so tempted to kiss her, and he would have, powers and all, if he wasn't unwilling to give up control just yet.

"Yah dirty pervert!" Her face was flushed and she yanked at her hands. Her body was responding strongly to his attention, and it did not help that underneath it all, there was still a part of her that wanted him. "Ah want yah offa meh, now! Let meh go, Gambit!" She was sure he could feel how wet she was at any moment now.

"But Remy hasn' taught y' anyt'ing yet, cherie." His red eyes flashed as they flickered down to her full lips. So tempting – he could still remember her taste from the kiss he stole. He grew hot at the thought, almost feeling like he was burning. "How about we start wid a kiss, hein?"

Rogue panicked. She hadn't counted on actually absorbing him. "Wait, Remy – No! Ah don' wan' ta hurt yah!"

That made Remy pause. "Y' don'?"

She flushed, stumbling over her words as she tried to rephrase. "Er... Ah mean... Ah don' wan' yah thoughts an'... Ah don' wan' yah dirty swamp rat self in mah head!"

He chuckled, resuming his descent towards her lips. "Den keep Remy out, chere."

"No, Remy, please! Sto-" She was abruptly cut off as he took her mouth in a passionate kiss, prefaced by a strange slight shocking sensation. Realizing he wasn't being absorbed, he released her wrists and slipped his arms beneath her, holding her to him. Stunned, Rogue could only feebly press her hands against his shoulders. He was touching her. Kissing her. Without the necklace? His hands slipped underneath her shirt and began rubbing the smooth skin of her back as he pressed himself against her. Out of reflex, her legs curled around his hips and he moaned, drawing back from her lips to suckle on the tender skin of her neck. Rogue shivered, fighting a losing battle against her arms that were hesitantly creeping around his shoulders. His body was so hot. So was hers. God, she still wanted him.

He was winning.

The cry tore out of her throat with obvious difficulty, "N-no!" Remy immediately stopped, withdrawing from her as she simultaneously scrambled as far away from him on the couch as possible. She panted, straightening her clothes, avoiding his gaze. A slight buzzing was vibrating in her ears that she hadn't noticed while he had been upon her, but she ignored it. He, on the other hand, remained disheveled, staring at her longingly, ignoring the ache in his pants as well as the one in his chest.

"Rogue, I-"

"No." She shook her head, furrowing her brow as the slight buzzing grew stronger and she began to feel ill. "I don't know how you-" she stopped, clutching her head as the buzzing turned into voices.

"Rogue?"

She whimpered as the voices began screaming at her, bombarding her senses from all sides. Something was wrong. It was all wrong. The voices held back for so long were now suddenly released and it didn't take them too long to fight through the last vestiges of the effect of her Cytorrak necklace. Her mind felt like it was going to shatter under the sudden pressure. She needed the necklace! Unable to bring her hands away from where they clutched her head, she screamed.

"Rogue!"

* * *

Omg, yes. I know. Finally.

Don't have anything to comment though. :P What do you think?

Oh, and it wasn't that she was controlling her powers. For one, they hadn't all come back – she's been wearing the necklace 24/7 for a long time now, remember – so at this point, it takes a bit for them to return to normal (hence also why the voices didn't come back immediately). And two, Remy did that kinetic shield thing around his body (albeit unknowingly) so that he's able to touch her tho she feels a slight shock people familiar with comic-verse should know what I'm talking about.

- Rielyn


End file.
